Jalan Masjid Hidayatullah Sudirman becomes illegal parking site for 150 motorcycles

A section of Jalan Masjid Hidayatullah, located behind the Sampoerna Building on Jalan Sudirman in South Jakarta, is suspected of being used as an illegal parking site, with up to 150 motorcycles parked on the road.

“Illegal parking like that on Jalan Masjid Hidayatullah is very common in Jakarta and has become a game for thugs and mass organisations, security officers and local officials,” transport observer Azas Tigor Nainggolan told reporters in Jakarta on Sunday.

Azas said the location is at the end of an intersection connected to Jalan Casablanca. The road section is reportedly closed off with a barrier and used for motorcycle parking.

Based on his observations, there are around three rows with a total of about 150 motorcycles parked at the site. However, no parking signs or parking space unit markers are visible.

He said the parking activity has been ongoing since at least 2021.

According to Azas, if the area were properly arranged and officially managed, parking on the road could become a source of regional revenue. Assuming 150 parking space units, a tariff of Rp2,000 per hour and an active parking period of 10 hours per day, he calculated the potential revenue at Rp3 million per day, or around Rp900 million per year.

“If the illegal parking is regulated and its management supervised, it would become official parking and generate levies as potential revenue for the Jakarta regional budget,” he said.

He urged the Jakarta provincial government to crack down on illegal parking sites and clarify their management so that road use remains in accordance with its intended purpose.

According to him, parking management can also improve traffic order and optimise regional revenue potential from the parking sector.

He noted that illegal parking on roadways does not only occur on Jalan Masjid Hidayatullah, but is also found in several other locations in Jakarta, including the area around the Sudirman underpass.