Ministry of Religious Affairs begins preparing thousands of mosques as transit points for Eid travellers
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Religious Affairs has begun preparing 6,859 mosques across Indonesia as free rest stops for Eid al-Fitr travellers, with the programme planned to run from seven days before to seven days after the holiday.
“Resting briefly can save lives and prevent disasters, because if the driver is drowsy and crashes, accidents can happen,” said Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar upon receiving Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi for a meeting in Jakarta on Monday.
The programme, initiated by the Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, is titled Ekspedisi Masjid Indonesia 2026. Mosques along homebound travel routes will function as 24-hour transit points.
To ensure readiness, the Minister said internal coordination is being carried out from the central level down to sub-district Religious Affairs Offices (KUA).
“Mosques are expected to prepare facilities including rest areas, clean toilets, ablution water, lactation rooms where feasible, drinking water, free mobile phone charging, as well as safe and free parking areas,” he said.
Given the high volume of private cars and motorcycles, particularly along the northern Java coast route, Trans Java, and Trans Sumatra corridors, driver fatigue remains a significant accident risk factor that must be anticipated.
Mosques therefore play a strategic role not only as places of worship but also as public service spaces, particularly for homebound travellers.
“To make them easily identifiable, participating mosques will be given special markers along main routes so that travellers can stop without hesitation,” the Minister said.
Beyond mosques, the programme also involves other places of worship in several regions, including churches in North Sumatra and eastern Indonesia.
“This programme emulates the Prophet’s mosque — mosques should also welcome guests, both Muslim and non-Muslim, without any discrimination. Mosques must become great houses of humanity and serve as a strategy to support the successful management of the Eid homebound travel season,” the Minister said.