Police Chief Inspects Merak Port on First Day of Operation Ketupat 2026 Ahead of Mudik Holiday
National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo inspected Merak Port on the first day of Operation Ketupat 2026. The Police Chief examined the readiness of port personnel in serving mudik travellers.
According to detikcom’s monitoring on Friday (13 March 2026), Sigit arrived at Merak Port at 09:30 WIB. Alongside Sigit were Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno, Interior Minister Tito Karnavian, Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi, and TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, who inspected conditions at Merak Port.
Conditions at Merak Port, particularly at Executive Terminal 6, became increasingly congested with vehicles preparing to cross. Merak Port serves mudik travellers using private vehicles, buses, and pedestrians.
Vehicles queued in the waiting area. The majority of the vehicles displayed registration plates from the Jabodetabek region.
Sigit inspected several areas at Merak Port and interacted with members of the public in the waiting area.
The official delegation also inspected the ferries preparing to depart. Already aboard the vessels were numerous passengers preparing to travel for mudik to Sumatra.
Four ports in Banten have been prepared to transport mudik travellers heading to Sumatra during the Lebaran Idul Fitri 2026 holiday period. One of the four ports serves as a backup facility.
Banten Regional Police Commander Inspector General Hengki stated that his office had inspected the ports that would transport mudik travellers, and that all four ports were ready to serve passengers.
Hengki noted that Bandar Bakau Jaya (BBJ) Port in Bojonegara, Serang, is designated exclusively for three-axle trucks and above, or vehicle categories 7, 8, and 9.
Pedestrian and private vehicle mudik passengers cross through Merak Port. Meanwhile, food supply trucks and two-wheeled vehicles depart through Ciwandan Port.
“Whilst Pelindo 2 Ciwandan Port will service trucks in categories 5B and 6B, as well as two-wheeled vehicles. Krakatau Bandar Samudra serves as a contingency for vehicles in categories 5 and 6D; should congestion reach critical levels in the southern JLS area, we will redirect traffic to Krakatau Bandar Samudra,” he said.
Beyond port preparations, police have established several checkpoints along mudik routes leading to the four ports. These checkpoints will be staffed 24 hours by personnel from various agencies.