Palembang Ampera Bridge Closed To Prevent New Year's Eve Crowds

PALEMBANG - Ampera Bridge as an icon of Palembang City, South Sumatra, was temporarily closed to prevent crowds at the peak of the 2022 New Year celebrations.

"The Ampera Bridge is closed Friday night starting at 19.00 WIB, for people who usually celebrate the new year outside their homes and the bridge area, they are advised to stay at home because the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended and the ban on gatherings will still be enforced," said the Head of Traffic at the Palembang Polrestabes. Police Commissioner Irwan Andeta was quoted by Antara, Friday, December 31.

For people who continue to do activities outside the home other than for New Year's entertainment, they can use alternative roads and bridges.

Officers in the field will arrange for the diversion of traffic flow leading to Ampera Bridge to an alternative road to Musi 4 Bridge in the Kuto Market area and Musi 6 in Makrayu Palembang area.

The diversion of traffic flow is carried out on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman starting from the Cinde Roundabout towards the Great Mosque of Palembang Fountain Roundabout starting at 19.00 WIB.

To divert the flow of traffic access to the Ampera Bridge and the center of the crowd, his party placed members of the Traffic Unit around the location from the afternoon until the evening of the New Year's 2022.

"Through this effort, it is hoped that it will not reduce the joy of the community in welcoming the 2022 New Year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and can prevent a spike in cases of corona virus transmission which is feared by many parties," said Kasatlantas.

Meanwhile, the Head of Public Relations of the South Sumatra Police, Kombes Supriadi, appealed to people spread across 17 regencies and cities within the local province to maintain security and public order (kamtibmas) ahead of the turn of 2021 to 2022.

"Public participation plays a major role in keeping the security and social order safe and conducive in conditions of increased mobility and community activities ahead of the 2022 New Year," he said.

At the turn of 2022, people are advised not to carry out convoys or parades that cause crowds and disrupt traffic flow.

If there are still activities that can disrupt security and social order and cause crowds that have the potential to become clusters of COVID-19 transmission, strict action will be taken according to applicable regulations.

Likewise, community activities, be it entertainment or anything that causes crowds, will be dealt with strictly according to the applicable rules.

"Let's keep South Sumatra safe, peaceful and healthy to avoid a spike in COVID-19 cases," said Kombes Supriadi.