Police clear caltrops from homecoming routes in East Jakarta
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Traffic Unit (Satlantas) of East Jakarta Metro Police conducted a clearance operation to remove caltrops from several homecoming routes in the area on Monday.
“Today we are sweeping caltrops along the homecoming routes throughout East Jakarta as part of our efforts and activities to protect travellers returning home,” said AKP Eko Apriyanto, Head of Operations for the Traffic Unit of East Jakarta Metro Police, speaking at Kalimalang Road, Duren Sawit, East Jakarta.
This measure was undertaken to ensure that residents heading back to their hometowns during the 2026 Eid homecoming period travel safely and comfortably.
Eko explained that the sweeping operation was conducted using patrol vehicles equipped with special magnets to lift nails and other dangerous metal objects from road surfaces.
“We found caltrops made from iron umbrella frames. Travellers can now head to their hometowns without worrying about hitting caltrops,” said Eko.
According to him, the use of magnetic equipment on patrol vehicles is highly effective for clearing roads of nails. When vehicles pass over the area, nails on the road are attracted to the magnet and no longer pose a danger to road users.
Eko explained that most of the caltrops found were made from sections of umbrella frames deliberately shaped to resemble nails. These objects are considered extremely dangerous for riders, whether using tubeless or conventional tyres.
During the sweeping operation, officers cleared several points along homecoming routes in East Jakarta, ranging from the Halim Baru and Halim Lama areas through to Kalimalang Road.
“These are traces of caltrops that we found on the roadway. We collected parts of them from the sweeping operation starting from Halim Lama all the way to Kalimalang,” he said.
In addition to the road-clearing operation, police also urged residents planning to travel during the homecoming period to prioritise safety whilst driving. Drivers are asked to ensure they are in good physical condition and their vehicles are roadworthy.
Eko reminded travellers not to force themselves to drive while drowsy, as this increases the risk of road accidents. Police also appealed to the public to immediately report any evidence of caltrop distribution on roads so that officers can take action.
With this clearing operation in place, it is hoped that homecoming routes in East Jakarta will remain safe, allowing residents to enjoy a more comfortable journey to their hometowns for celebrating Eid al-Fitr with family.