Lembah Anai Fully Reopened Post-Disaster, Traffic Jams Ensue Due to One-Way System

Tanah Datar (ANTARA) - The Lembah Anai route in West Sumatra, which has been fully reopened for 24 hours following the disaster, has spurred public mobility, triggering long traffic jams due to the implementation of a one-way system. ANTARA’s on-site observation on Monday (23/3) showed that traffic flow began to falter right after the checkpoint on the Padang-Bukittinggi route via Lembah Anai, specifically from the Padang Panjang city boundary to the Koto Baru Market area in Tanah Datar Regency. The congestion, with vehicles queuing for more than 7 kilometres, was worsened by the operation of Koto Baru Market every Monday, as well as the influx of vehicles from several alternative routes that added to the density. ANTARA recorded that 1 kilometre of travel took nearly 1 hour. Although dozens of West Sumatra Police traffic officers have been deployed at various points, the surge in vehicle volume during the Eid period has significantly increased travel times. The Lembah Anai route was previously completely severed due to a disaster that damaged the road surface and the main access connecting Bukittinggi-Padang via Lembah Anai. The government then imposed limited operations as the repair process was not yet complete. To address the Eid traffic flow, the West Sumatra National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN) ensured that the Sicincin-Padang Panjang section at KM 64 would be open 24 hours for four-wheeled vehicles from H-10 to H+10 of Eid al-Fitr. The reopening of this route was originally planned for H-7 but was accelerated to H-10 thanks to the expedited work by PT Hutama Karya Infrastruktur. Meanwhile, the West Sumatra Provincial Government has implemented a one-way system from Padang to Bukittinggi from 10:00 to 14:00 WIB, and from Bukittinggi to Padang from 14:00 to 18:00 WIB, effective from 22 to 24 March 2026.