Travellers advised to use Central Sumatra Route to avoid congestion

Jambi (ANTARA) — The Road Transport Management Agency (BPTD) Class II Jambi has confirmed that traffic conditions on the Central Sumatra Route (Jalinteng) are currently safe and flowing smoothly.

“We are ensuring the Central Sumatra Route is safe, and the public is already beginning to utilise the Central Route to avoid congestion at Bayung Lencir. We assure you this route is safe to travel on,” said Benny Nurdin Yusuf, Head of BPTD Class II Jambi, in Jambi on Tuesday.

The agency appealed to travellers making the Eid holiday journey from South Sumatra towards Jambi and vice versa to use the Central Route to avoid congestion in the Musi Banyuasin and Banyuasin regions.

Benny explained that over the past two days following severe congestion, the majority of buses from West Sumatra, Riau, and Bengkulu bound for Java and vice versa have switched to using the Central Route.

He added that the surge in Eid 2026 travel is evident in the increased vehicle volume compared to normal days. Based on monitoring at Pulau Tujuh Bangko Terminal at 21:00 on Monday (16 March), dozens of buses were observed entering the terminal within one-hour intervals.

This indicates that the Central Sumatra Route has become a new alternative amid ongoing congestion on the Eastern Sumatra Route.

Benny emphasised that the agency continues to conduct intensive coordination with the Traffic Police of Jambi and South Sumatra to ensure driver comfort and safety.

As of this report, BPTD Jambi teams and related agencies remain on standby at strategic locations, including areas leading to the Sebapo Toll (Jambi), to monitor traffic conditions directly.

By Tuesday afternoon (17 March), according to reports from security posts in Musi Banyuasin District at the entrance to the Bayung Lencir-Sebapo toll, congestion was beginning to ease.

For the time being, the entrance to the Pijoan and Sebapo toll roads (Jambi) leading to Bayung Lencir (South Sumatra) has been temporarily closed to ease congestion in the Musi Banyuasin region.