One-Way Return Flow Begins Today at 14:00, Here are Kakorlantas's Appeals to Mudik Travellers
The Indonesian National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas) Polri will enforce a national one-way traffic engineering scheme for the return flow starting Tuesday (24/3) at 14:00 WIB. This policy will apply from Km 414 Kalikangkung to Km 70 Cikampek Utama and will be officially launched by National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo alongside relevant ministers.
The implementation of this national one-way system is a strategic step to anticipate the high surge in return traffic, in line with the elevated mobility of the public during the peak mudik period.
Kakorlantas Polri Irjen Agus Suryonugroho stressed that all traffic policies this year are executed based on data and real-time field monitoring.
“This national one-way is a measured step based on data. We see the potential for very high traffic generation, so it must be managed from the start to avoid build-ups,” said Irjen Agus on Tuesday (24/3/2026).
Based on Korlantas Polri’s analysis, the previous mudik peak reached 270,000 vehicles per day, while currently only about 43% of vehicles have returned to Jakarta. This indicates significant potential for a surge in the coming days.
“That means the return flow will continue to move. Therefore, we prepare gradual and flexible traffic engineering scenarios,” he stated.
Kakorlantas also emphasised that the one-way policy is not rigid but will be dynamically adjusted based on field conditions.
“If the flow is still high, we can extend the one-way. But if it has eased, we will normalise it. Everything is based on real-time conditions,” he explained.
Utilisation of WFA Policy
In addition to toll road arrangements, Irjen Agus reminded the public to make use of the government’s work-from-anywhere (WFA) policy for civil servants (ASN) and similar appeals for the private sector. By working remotely from their hometowns, mudik travellers are hoped to delay their return after the peak return flow, allowing density on main routes to disperse more effectively.
“Utilise this WFA policy wisely. The public does not need to rush home all at once during the peak return flow. By staggering return times, the journey will be much more comfortable and avoid long congestions,” urged Kakorlantas.
Prohibition on Stopping on Toll Road Shoulders
Regarding safety and smoothness, Kakorlantas issued a warning to mudik travellers not to use toll road shoulders as resting spots. This is highly dangerous to life and is the main cause of congestion on freeways.
“The shoulder is only for emergencies, not for resting or sleeping. If tired, please head to the nearest rest area or exit to arterial roads to find a safe resting place. Stopping on the toll road shoulder is very risky as it can trigger rear-end collisions and obstruct other vehicles’ flow,” he asserted.
Additionally, the public is urged not to focus their journeys on a specific time to avoid excessive congestion.
“We appeal to the public not to force a return on the same date. If everyone moves together, it will cause build-ups that harm the mudik travellers themselves,” he added.
Through this scheme, Polri ensures that the 2026 Eid return flow can proceed more smoothly, safely, and controllably.
“We are not only managing vehicle flow but ensuring every return journey is safe until they reach home,” said Irjen Agus.