Mudik Lebaran Begins, Police Prepare Security Checkpoints Along Travel Routes
JAKARTA – Morning at Pasar Senen Railway Station in Central Jakarta feels busier than usual. The footsteps of migrant workers blend with repeated announcements of train departures from loudspeakers. In corners of the waiting room, families sit closely together, some clutching travel tickets, others embracing bags and suitcases that will accompany them home to their hometowns.
Seven days before Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah, the wave of mudik (homecoming migration) is becoming apparent. Several passengers crowded the intercity train departure areas at Pasar Senen Station on Saturday. Some queued towards the platform gates, whilst others awaited departure announcements with their families.
Many homebound travellers chose to depart earlier to avoid the surge in passengers expected to increase as the religious festival approaches.
Putri (25), a resident of West Jakarta, deliberately chose to travel earlier to her hometown of Blitar, East Java. For her, delaying departure would only make the journey more crowded and exhausting.
“If you depart close to Eid day, it will definitely be busier than today. Today is already crowded, let alone later,” she said.
A similar choice was made by Noer (73), an elderly passenger who departed from the Ciputat area in South Tangerang heading to Yogyakarta with his family. He said he only obtained his departure ticket today.
“Because I got the ticket today. Hopefully I’ll have a smooth journey with no problems,” he said.
Meanwhile, Risalda (20), a student from Jakarta, also took advantage of the start of her university holiday break to travel. She arrived at Pasar Senen Station after completing a journey from Solo.
“I chose today’s schedule because the campus happened to just finish holidays yesterday,” she said.
Inside the station, officers were seen efficiently helping manage the flow of passengers who continued to arrive with various belongings. The atmosphere became increasingly busy as train departure announcements rang out periodically, reminding prospective passengers to head to their platforms according to their travel schedules.
Data from PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) Regional Operation 1 Jakarta showed that nearly 50,000 passengers left Jakarta on Saturday. By 11:42 WIB, a total of 49,895 passengers had departed from various stations in the Daop 1 Jakarta area.
At the same time, incoming traffic continued. A total of 30,841 passengers were recorded arriving in Jakarta on the same day.
In various homecoming destination regions, security personnel have begun preparing to receive the surge in public mobility. In Malang Regency, East Java, Malang Police Resort urged homebound travellers not to hesitate in utilising various services that have been prepared should they experience difficulties during their journey.
Malang Police Resort Chief AKBP Muhammad Taat Resdi stated that his office had established eight checkpoints during the implementation of Operation Ketupat Semeru 2026, which runs from 13–25 March. These checkpoints were prepared to secure the flow of homecoming, holiday, and return traffic for Eid.
“We urge the public who are travelling home not to hesitate in utilising the checkpoints that have been prepared if they need assistance from officers,” he said.
The eight checkpoints consist of one integrated checkpoint located on Jalan Raya Karanglo, near the Singosari Toll Gate. Additionally, there is one service checkpoint in the West Outer Ring Road area on Jalan Ir. Soekarno, Kepanjen District.
Security checkpoints are positioned at five strategic locations, namely Karangploso, Gubugklakah which is an access point towards Mount Bromo, Slorok, Kendalpayak, as well as the Southern Outer Ring Road area in Bantur.
Besides permanent checkpoints, Malang Police Resort has also prepared one mobile police checkpoint that patrols several congestion-prone routes, such as Karanglo–Karangploso, Kebonagung–Bendo, Talangagung, and the Slorok area.