Tanah Abang Link Bridge Swamped with Shoppers, Taking 20 Minutes to Cross

Jakarta — The pedestrian bridge connecting Tanah Abang Station and Central Tanah Abang has been inundated with shoppers seeking to purchase Lebaran necessities in the Tanah Abang area of Central Jakarta.

An observation of the Tanah Abang Multi-Purpose Pedestrian Bridge on Monday (16 March 2026) revealed extremely congested foot traffic flowing in both directions. Shoppers walked shoulder-to-shoulder, their pace significantly slowed by the sheer density of people.

Kompas.com attempted to walk from Tanah Abang Station to Central Tanah Abang at approximately 12:14 WIB. Under normal conditions, this distance is typically traversed in approximately two to three minutes. However, due to the overwhelming number of Lebaran shoppers, the crossing took considerably longer.

Kompas.com arrived at Central Tanah Abang at approximately 12:34 WIB, meaning the journey took approximately 20 minutes. The congestion forced pedestrians to move extremely slowly, following the flow ahead of them. Several times, foot traffic came to a complete standstill due to accumulation of people at specific points.

Some shoppers even had their sandals stepped on by those behind them, appearing visibly frustrated as their progress halted amid the throng. Those carrying goods frequently asked other pedestrians to make way so they could pass through first. This situation caused foot traffic to stall repeatedly.

The congestion severely restricted the movement of shoppers despite the bridge’s width exceeding 12 metres. Crossing the bridge felt considerably longer than the actual distance would suggest.