Transport Minister urges homecoming travellers to utilise work-from-anywhere policy to reduce congestion
Jakarta – Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has called on the public to utilise the work-from-anywhere (WFA) policy to stagger the timing of homecoming travel during the Eid period, thereby distributing travel patterns more evenly and reducing potential congestion throughout the holiday season.
“The government urges the public to arrange their travel schedules by taking advantage of the work-from-anywhere policy, so that the distribution of homecoming travel can be more evenly spread and congestion potential reduced,” said the Transport Minister in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.
The government has implemented the WFA policy coinciding with the Eid holiday break, which runs for approximately two weeks, from 14 to 29 March 2026. This period encompasses the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Nyepi holiday, and joint leave days.
Purwagandhi emphasised the importance of alleviating the strain on homecoming traffic by utilising the WFA policy whilst monitoring transport conditions and several homecoming routes in West Java during the 2026 Eid holiday transport operation.
“We are conducting this inspection to directly monitor the traffic situation on one of the main homecoming routes during the early period of the homecoming surge,” said the Transport Minister.
The first monitoring point was Cirebon. On this occasion, the Transport Minister noted that vehicle movement during the early homecoming period has begun showing increases. He reported that according to Jasa Marga data, vehicle volume has increased by approximately 14 per cent compared with normal conditions.
Based on a survey conducted by the Transport Ministry, the peak homecoming traffic is estimated to occur on 18 March 2026.
Additionally, the government is also concerned about potential traffic disruptions arising from activities in areas surrounding homecoming routes. The Transport Minister also called on authorities to halt potentially dangerous activities, such as residents collecting coins from road users on the Pantura route in the Kalisewo area, Indramayu.
“Most importantly, we are also concerned about the safety of our fellow citizens in the Kalisewo area,” said the Transport Minister.
The Transport Minister, together with the West Java Governor, symbolically presented compensation to 557 traditional transport drivers in the Cirebon region, comprising becak and ojek drivers. The compensation was given to drivers affected by operational restrictions and controls during the homecoming traffic period.
The assistance programme provides compensation of Rp1.4 million per person to traditional transport drivers such as angkot, becak, andong, and ojek operators. Through this assistance, drivers are expected to reduce temporary operational activities during the homecoming period, thereby minimising potential roadside disruptions.
The Transport Minister regards this measure as helping field officers maintain smooth traffic flow on major homecoming routes, particularly on the Pantura corridor in Cirebon, which is one of the important corridors for public movement towards Central and East Java.
Through various collaborative measures between the central government and regional authorities, it is hoped that the 2026 Eid holiday transport operation will proceed safely, securely, smoothly, and comfortably for all citizens.
After conducting the inspection in Cirebon, the Transport Minister continued his journey to Subang via land route. This was to ensure infrastructure readiness and smooth traffic flow on the main route used by homecoming travellers. Additionally, the Transport Minister also monitored traffic congestion hotspots and the readiness of safety support facilities for travellers.
The inspection concluded with the return journey to Jakarta via the Pantura route. In this way, said the Transport Minister, anticipatory measures can be better prepared to ensure that the public’s homecoming journey proceeds safely, smoothly, and comfortably.