Authorities would deploy a joint force of 8,179 personnel during the 15-day operation, which would run from Dec. 21 to Jan. 4, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said on Monday.

"It comprises of 600 TNI personnel, 7,052 police officers and 525 officials from the Jakarta Administration," Yusri said as reported by Tempo.co.

The joint personnel would be stationed at 90 security posts and 30 service posts across Greater Jakarta.

"They will also guard 1,558 churches in Jakarta and its satellite cities, with 316 of them to get special security measures," Yusri said.

Jakarta Police traffic director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said authorities would divert traffic to handle congestion during the year-end mudik (exodus).

"We’ll focus on [securing traffic] on the outskirts of Jakarta. [...] However, we still advise the public not to enter Jakarta during New Year's Eve and not to have celebrations on the road," Sambodo said as quoted by Kompas.com.

He predicted two peaks of outbound traffic during the year-end holiday season: from Dec. 23 to 24 for the Christmas holiday and from Dec. 30 to 31 for the New Year holiday.

"The return trips for the Christmas holiday are expected to take place on Dec. 26, while for the New Year holiday, they will take place on Jan 3 to 4," he said.

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Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mohammad Fadil Imran said that, besides maintaining traffic order and security, this year's Operation Lilin Jaya would also focus on curbing COVID-19 transmission in the capital.

"This year's operation will be very different, as we will also carry out measures to control and cut COVID-19 transmission," he said on Monday.

Fadil said authorities would not allow any crowd-pulling events during the year-end holidays, and police officers would monitor areas that were usually celebration spots for New Year's Eve.

Sambodo also said the Jakarta administration had instructed tourism spots, including Ancol Beach, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and Kota Tua (Jakarta’s old town), to close early at 5 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

"We'll also randomly check vehicles and rest areas around Greater Jakarta to ensure there were are crowds or [other] health protocol violations," Sambodo said.

He urged the public to adhere to health protocols, adding that violators could be sanctioned under Law No. 93 on Health Quarantine and articles 212, 214, 216 and 218 of the Criminal Code.

Article 93 of the Health Quarantine Law stipulates that people who violate a health quarantine can face a maximum of one year’s imprisonment and/or a Rp 100 million (US$6,238) fine. (nal)