Police operations yet to ease traffic

JAKARTA: After two months of an operation to ensure motorists followed the road rules, City Police chief of traffic Sr. Comr. Djoko Susilo acknowledged that such efforts were not enough to reduce traffic congestion.

"(Heavy traffic) is closely related to the culture of our society, which is undisciplined," he was quoted as saying by Tempointeraktif.com on Thursday.

Although police had stationed officers to direct and monitor traffic in Pasar Minggu, Pancoran and Mampang in South Jakarta, KH Mas Mansyur in Central Jakarta and in Cawang, East Jakarta, the effect was only temporary, he said.

"As soon as the officers left the areas, the traffic there returned to chaos," Djoko said.

However, police said they had made some progress in two areas, with less vehicles seen driving on the emergency left shoulder lanes of toll roads and less motorcyclists forgetting to wear helmets. -- JP