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Gridlock, crowded public transportation mark Jakarta’s anniversary celebrations
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Visitors walk alongside newly assembled attractions for a carnival at National Monument (Monas) Square in Jakarta on June 21, 2024. The Jakarta administration held several events to commemorate the 497th anniversary of the city, including a carnival around Monas and fireworks shows. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
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akarta’s 497th anniversary on Saturday was marked by congestion on numerous thoroughfares, heavily crowded public transportation and persisting pollution as people across the city went out to join in the festivities.
Jakartans spent their weekend celebrating another year of Jakarta as the national capital.
Thousands of people gathered at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on Saturday night to see the annual carnival and fireworks display there, while others hit Ancol beach and its amusement park on the North Jakarta coast.
The influx of revelers caused congestion in numerous streets across the city. Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in front of Monas reportedly became jammed with cars and motorcycles as the evening drew on, affecting traffic on Jl. Thamrin and other main roads in Central Jakarta.
The gridlock trapped many in the center of the city for hours on end, according to social media complaints.
“I left Monas at 8 p.m. and arrived home past midnight,” user @chandiniafr said on an Instagram post from Jakarta’s city guide JKTGO, while other people shared similar experiences on social media.
Many attributed the congestion on the Saturday anniversary to the great public desire to celebrate Jakarta’s final year as the national capital before Nusantara in East Kalimantan took up the role.
