People reach saturation point as transportation troubles pile up

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A long line of slow-moving vehicles is almost an ordinary scene in Jakarta, but flooding this week caused some of the worst congestion many residents had ever experienced, creating frustration and desperation.

An insurance man, Hidayat, said he and his wife spent four and a half hours to get from Slipi to Jl. Panjang, Kebon Jeruk (about a four-minute ride with no traffic), on their way to their home in Tangerang via the toll, only to find out that the congestion extended all the way to West Java. He then made a decision to return to his wife's office in Slipi and they slept in the car until morning.

His hopes for a break in the traffic were fulfilled on Saturday morning. But, they were disappointed again as a policeman at Tomang asked them to turn back to Slipi as the toll road was under 1.5 meters of water.

"Even though you're driving a jeep, it's too risky to go through the water," the policeman said. "It's so deep and the current is so strong. It's better to go back."

Hidayat could no longer control his emotions. He was exhausted, frustrated and hungry. He had not eaten since the previous evening. And he was worried about his young son, who was at home only with the maids.

He finally left his wife and car at her office and hitched a ride on a large truck to get home to his son and presumably some rice.

"It's the worst traffic congestion I have ever experienced in my life. We couldn't eat and we were stuck in the car for hours! I really hope it'll be my last," he grumbled.

The inundation at two spots on the Tangerang toll road this past week has been a major source of frustration. Most were siting in traffic since Friday afternoon and only managed to reach Tangerang by late Saturday morning, a 45-minute commute turned into an excruciating 20-hour debacle.

Drivers were not the only frustrated ones.

Public transport passengers also suffered mightily. Many flooded streets caused bus drivers to take much longer alternate routes which required passengers to pay more.

Rachmat was one of them.

Traveling from Pondok Gede to Kampung Melayu, he was forced to pay Rp 3,000 for a trip that normally runs Rp 1,500. Besides the money, he also spent many more hours in traffic as the drivers tried to find dry routes.

"I had to walk for some kilometers before arriving home," said Hartini, an elderly woman whose bus dropped her far from her normal spot.

Butet, another unfortunate commuter had to stand in the rain on Jl. Cikini for more than 30 minutes to get a taxi.

"About 20 taxis passed but they were full. When there was an empty one, people rushed it and the driver asked the destination before taking the passenger," she said. "Many of them were turned down. I was lucky enough to get to my destination."

She also expressed her disappointment with the lack of public transportation in Jakarta, and the fact that taxi drivers usually refuse to go near flooded areas.