Jakarta's Traffic Congestion Returns After Eid, Residents Race Against Time on the Roads Again

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The roar of vehicles has once again dominated Jakarta’s streets just a few days after the Eid holiday ended. Whereas the capital previously felt empty, with relatively clear road stretches and quicker journeys, the situation has now reversed dramatically. Kompas.com observations show that traffic has returned to being dense at several main points such as Pancoran, TB Simatupang, Sudirman, and Manggarai. Congestion creeps almost without respite, especially during rush hours to and from work. This phenomenon is not merely an annual routine but a portrait of how Jakarta residents’ mobility quickly reaches a busy peak in a short time. Commuter workers, private vehicle users, and public transport passengers are now once again facing the same challenges: adapting to the city’s density. Amid these conditions, Alwan (34), a private sector employee from Depok, pulled over briefly after navigating through congestion from the Pasar Minggu direction. He admitted that this year’s post-Eid situation feels different. Usually, there is a gap of a few days with still empty roads, but now the density arrives much faster. “Usually after Eid, there’s a bit of a lull for a few days, but now it feels like the congestion builds up really quickly. We’ve only just started back at work, and the roads are already jammed everywhere,” said Alwan. The journey from Depok to the Kuningan area, which normally takes about one hour, can now take almost two hours. According to him, congestion points are also spreading more and not concentrated in one location. As a sales professional with high mobility, this condition directly impacts his work. Meeting schedules with clients are often disrupted due to delays. “If you get caught in traffic, the whole schedule gets pushed back. Sometimes I have to reschedule meetings because I’m late,” he said. To cope with the situation, Alwan now leaves earlier, around 05:30, and relies on navigation apps to find alternative routes.