Prevent Crowding, Kendari Bay Bridge Closed New Years Eve

KENDARI - The Kendari Bay Bridge in Kendari City, Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra) will be temporarily closed on New Year's Eve 2021 for visitors. The temporary closure is to prevent crowds from becoming a new cluster of the spread of COVID-19.

"The Kendari Bay Bridge on New Year's Eve is temporarily closed, in anticipation of a crowd, only for passing vehicles," said Kendari Mayor Sulkarnain Kadir as quoted by Antara, Monday, December 28.

The temporary closure of the new Kendari City icon had to be carried out as a form of steps by the city government in anticipating visitors arriving, both local residents and from other districts who wanted to witness the seconds of the turn of the night from 2020 to 2021. Because currently it is still in the atmosphere of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We urge you to celebrate New Year's Eve at home with your family, no need to gather many people, maybe just get together with family, do some contemplation," said Sulkarnain.

Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary of Kendari City, Nahwa Umar said based on the results of the previous coordination meeting with all OPD within the city government on Thursday, December 24, it was agreed that the Kendari Bay Bridge would be temporarily closed for visitors. People are not allowed to enter the bridge area even if walking, it is only opened to pass for vehicles.

This decision was made to prevent large-scale crowds on New Year's Eve, where it is predicted that the Kendari Bay Bridge will become the main destination for both metro residents and people from outside Kendari.

So that the bridge will be closely guarded by a team of judges from the city government, to ensure that no traders or residents enter to wait for the new year on the bridge which has become a new icon in Kendari City.

Apart from the Kendari Bay Bridge, Nahwa continued, the "Kendari Beach" area will also be closed to motorists, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Meanwhile, swords that sell their wares are still allowed to carry out activities as usual.

"Then for Kendari Beach, from end to end it will be closed, so no vehicles will pass. Traders sell as usual," said Nahwa.

He explained, the provisions do not make activities that collect many people referring to the Circular of the National COVID-19 Handling Task Force, the Governor's Circular to the Kendari Mayor Regulation Number 47 of 2020 concerning health protocols.

With this reference, if there are residents who violate these provisions, the Yustisi team will take action in the form of social sanctions.

"So in essence there is a Circular of the Central Task Force Team, the Governor and also the Perwali Number 47 Tanun 2020. So that is the basis for the Yustisi team to run," concluded Nahwa Umar.