Rasuna Said Car-Free Day Reduces Pollution, Jakarta Air Quality Improves
The Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov) has reintroduced a Car-Free Day (CFD) on Jalan H.R. Rasuna Said in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, as part of efforts to curb vehicle emissions. The initiative, held on Sunday (7/6), aims to expand public recreational space while reducing the transport sector’s contribution to air pollution.
Jakarta Environment Agency (DLH) head Dudi Gardesi stated that transport remains a major source of air pollution in the capital. Consequently, reducing private vehicle usage is being actively promoted, including through the implementation of the Car-Free Day. “The Car-Free Day on Rasuna Said and in the Sudirman-Thamrin area is part of the effort to reduce motor vehicle emissions while encouraging the public to switch to more environmentally friendly modes of transport,” Dudi said in a written statement on Tuesday (9/6).
Dudi explained that Jakarta’s air quality had recently fluctuated between moderate and unhealthy categories. However, monitoring data during the Sunday Car-Free Day showed a decrease in PM2.5 concentrations at several locations. In the Bundaran HI area, PM2.5 levels reached 86.15 micrograms per cubic metre at 03.00 WIB, before gradually falling to around 60.30 micrograms per cubic metre between 09.00 and 10.00 WIB during the event. A similar decline was recorded at the SPKU Mobile Rasuna Said station, where concentrations dropped from 76.10 micrograms per cubic metre at 03.00 WIB to a range of 54.9-55.5 micrograms per cubic metre between 06.00 and 09.00 WIB.
According to Dudi, the reduction indicates that decreased motor vehicle activity directly impacts air quality in the city centre. “Changing public mobility patterns is an important step towards improving Jakarta’s air quality,” he said. He urged residents to reduce private vehicle use and switch to public transport, walking, or cycling. The public can also monitor air quality via the website udara.jakarta.go.id and the JAKI app, which draw data from 114 monitoring stations, including reference stations and sensors that meet scientific standards. “The placement of monitoring equipment also complies with the Indonesian National Standard (SNI), so the data presented can serve as an accurate and reliable reference for the public to monitor air conditions,” Dudi explained.
Governor Pramono Anung said the Car-Free Day on Rasuna Said received a positive response from the public. He noted that the Kuningan area has the potential to become a new hub for community activity due to its strategic location, easy access to public transport, and supportive environment. “The vast majority, almost 95 to 96 per cent of the people I met, hope this Car-Free Day becomes a sustainable activity,” he revealed.
Pramono believes the Rasuna Said CFD can serve as an alternative for residents beyond the Sudirman-Thamrin area. The space is used not only for walking, running, and cycling but also as a place for social interaction. “I see the potential in Kuningan. Looking at the scenery, the air, and the access, I am confident this will become a new Car-Free Day landmark in Jakarta,” Pramono said. “This place will become a choice for the public to exercise, socialise, and enjoy a more comfortable public space,” he added.
Beyond promoting a healthy lifestyle, the Jakarta administration is using the Rasuna Said Car-Free Day to strengthen its campaign for waste segregation at source. One activity was a 1.8-kilometre Waste Segregation Parade in the Epicentrum Rasuna Said area. The event involved environmental communities, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), regional-owned enterprises (BUMD), and the general public. The administration also provided 30 segregated waste bins, two inorganic waste trucks, waste weighing facilities, and cleaning staff at several points. Pramono emphasised that waste segregation must become a habit for residents, not merely a response to government policy. “What we want to do is make waste segregation a daily behaviour for the community. Not just because of Governor’s Instruction Number 5 of 2026, but truly a collective movement,” he stressed.
Residents welcomed the new CFD location. Dhafin Armia, a South Jakarta resident, said the new site offers options for people wanting to exercise on weekends. “Provide more places for the community to exercise. Like in the Barito area, I saw they just built the Taman Bendera Pusaka. If possible, create a few more locations,” Dhafin told detikcom. Hendri, a resident of Karet Kuningan, was also pleased to have a CFD location closer to home. “I’m very happy, because my house happens to be nearby. It would be great if it were held once a week, so there’s entertainment as well as exercise,” Hendri said. He views the Rasuna Said CFD as an alternative so residents do not always have to go to Sudirman-Thamrin or Bundaran HI. “It’s an alternative. There’s one in Sudirman, Antasari-Blok M, here, and in Sunter. We look for the closest one,” he said. He also believes the CFD provides a respite for the Rasuna Said area, which is congested with vehicles every day. “I fully support it. Every day we pass through vehicle exhaust and a concrete jungle here. If it’s held here every week, the air circulation becomes good,” Hendri remarked.