T

housands danced while others jogged or cycled on the city’s main thoroughfares on Sunday as Jakarta decided to make car-free day a weekly event.

Despite the hot weather, Jakartans took the opportunity to dress a little bit out of the ordinary. A group of people dressed up in Avengers costumes, while others chose to wear traditional costumes while riding antique bicycles.

The crowds, in their fancy dress and sporting outfits, moved freely from Semanggi to Sarinah and vice versa. Some cycled and some jogged, some even roller-skated and others simply enjoyed a traffic-free stroll. Children played happily as vendors sold snacks and drinks at the roadside.

But one of the highlights was a mass dancing event involving more than 2,000 participants.

Dance Indonesia participants took advantage of the empty Hotel Indonesia traffic circle. Six dance groups dressed in traditional costumes representing Indonesia’s diverse culture invited the crowd on the unusually clear roads to dance along for about 30 minutes.

The movement was hosted by the Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF), the Djarum Foundation, the Jakarta Tourism and Cultural Agency, and Jakarta Abang None Association. Dance Indonesia was held as a prelude to the 11th IDF, which will commence next month.

“Dancing makes us creative, happy and smart,” senior dancer Nungki Kusumastuti said. “I want to invite as many people as possible [to dance]. It is a relaxing activity.”

Budi Rachman, a resident of West Jakarta came to the event with his family of five.

“I am glad to be here. I have never seen a crowd this size enjoying a morning on an otherwise busy street. On a normal day, it would be unthinkable,” he told The Jakarta Post.

 Given the positive response from city residents, the Jakarta city administration decided that the car-free event, which sees the main thoroughfares of Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta closed to traffic from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., should take place weekly. Previously, the program was conducted twice a month.

The program was launched in 2007 to reduce gas emissions and provide open spaces for people’s social activities.

City bylaws on air-pollution stipulate that each of Jakarta’s five municipalities hold its own car-free days once a month.

Based on the Central Statistics Agency, Jakarta has currently 9.6 million people, 2.38 million cars, 9.3 million motorcycles and another million public buses, trucks and other vehicles.

People on the street welcomed the administration’s decision to make Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin car free every Sunday.

“It’s a good decision. See how we can enjoy this beautiful morning and do exercises on Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin. If I became governor, I would make every Saturday and Sunday car-free days,” Hendra Setiawan, who lives in Pasar Minggu, said.

Siti Muslihah, a resident of Tanah Abang who came along with her girlfriends, said that the mass dancing gave a new nuance to the weekly event.

“It felt good to dance with so many strangers,” she said.

Siti hoped that the car-free event could provide more cultural activities rather than simply sports.