Roads Around Presidential Palace Begin to Close for Independence Day Preparations

A number of roads around Jalan Veteran and Jalan Merdeka Utara began experiencing traffic adjustments and closures starting Tuesday, as preparations for the 81st Indonesian Independence Day ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta got underway. Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi stated that the closures were necessary to support the preparations and joint rehearsals now taking place at the palace. The government apologised to the public for the resulting traffic disruptions.

Prasetyo explained that the preparations have now entered the joint rehearsal phase, after individual teams had been training separately. The ceremonial team, the national flag-hoisting troop (Paskibraka), and other teams have begun coordinating their drills at the palace. He noted that Tuesday’s session was an initial adjustment, with more in-depth evaluations and corrections expected to begin during the full dress rehearsal scheduled for Wednesday.

In addition to the technical preparations, the government has increased the capacity for public invitations to the ceremony. Over a five-day registration period, more than 336,000 people applied, far exceeding the initial capacity of 5,500 seats. An additional 3,400 seats will be provided in a new block to accommodate more attendees, who will be divided into morning and afternoon sessions. The government is also planning to set up a more representative viewing area outside the palace fence for members of the public who did not receive an invitation but wish to watch the proceedings.