DKI Jakarta Congestion Decreases: Now Ranks 46 Most Congested Cities In The World, This Is One Of The Factors

Congestion in DKI Jakarta. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan shared information on the reduction in the congestion rating through the Instagram story account @aniesbaswedan, Thursday 10 February 2022. Anies re-uploaded @dkijakarta's post which uploaded the data. Data on congestion is based on measurements made by the TomTom Traffic Index. It is written that currently Jakarta is ranked 46th out of a total of 404 cities measured.

The following is Jakarta's congestion data from 2017-2021: 2017: congestion level of 61 percent, position 4 categories of the most congested cities in the world2018: congestion level of 53 percent, and position 72019: congestion level of 53 percent, and is in position 102020: congestion level of 36 percent, and is in 312021: a congestion rate of 34 percent, and is in 46th place.

Judging from the official website, the presentation of TomTom Traffic Index data states that Jakarta is currently ranked 46th out of a total of 404 cities in 2021. In 2020, Jakarta is ranked 31st as the most congested city in the world. Jakarta's congestion rate is reduced by 2 percent from 2020 and 19 percent from 2019.

The flyover is the solution to solve the congestion in DKI Jakarta. (Photo: Antara)

From the same survey, Jakarta was included in the top 10 most congested cities in the world. DKI was ranked 4th most congested city in 2017, then ranked 4th in 2018. Jakarta is said to have improved congestion from the previous year, 2020. In the international agency's website, it is stated that the COVID-19 pandemic is the main cause or factor that reduces congestion levels in cities. largest in the world, including Jakarta.

Quoted from CNBC Indonesia (Monday, February 14, 2022), according to University of Indonesia transportation expert Ellen Tangkudung. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government and the Jakarta Transportation Organizing Agency can certainly take the pattern of citizen movement and develop it to create a new approach after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Data analysis revealed that this drastic decline was due to the policy of working and studying from home. There are also restrictions on the number or routes of public transportation," he said.

Causative factor

The TomTom Traffic Index also noted that the congested situation in Jakarta occurred in February 2020 with a figure of 60 percent. Since March, along with the implementation of the first phase of PSBB, the congestion rate has decreased significantly. The lowest number occurred in April, which was 11 percent. Congestion rose again as of May in line with the easing of the PSBB. However, the average figure until December never reached 40 percent.

Since the 1990s there has been so much news about the traffic jams of Jakarta. The solution at that time was to build flyovers and underpasses as well as toll roads. However , the addition of roads still cannot keep pace with the increase in the number of private vehicles .

In the 1990s, the three in one rule was applied (one car must have a minimum of three passengers). However, what happened later, many car drivers got around the regulation by hiring three-in-one jockeys who offered their services on the side of the protocol road.

Odd-even regulations in DKI Jakarta. (Photo: Antara)

Restrictions on the number of vehicles, currently with the odd-even license plate rule, have also not been effective in overcoming congestion. It is proven that according to TomTom data in February 2020, before the pandemic period, Jakarta's roads were still jammed.

City planning expert at Trisakti University, Nirwono Joga, said the PSBB period and the imposition of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) should be utilized by the governments of Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi to improve urban life. Currently, for health reasons, residents who still have to go to work choose to use private vehicles to avoid the risk of being exposed to a new type of corona virus.

"Don't let this habit continue when the pandemic has been handled because it could lead to worse congestion problems than in 2019," he said.

While waiting for the pandemic to be completely overcome, this is the best opportunity for the DKI Jakarta government and the governments in Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Bodetabek) to improve the lives of residents, one of which is by fixing the traffic.

If these problems are not immediately addressed, the opportunity to fix the capital's traffic in the midst of a pandemic will be lost. If that happens, Jakarta will again be included in the list of the top 10 most congested cities in the world.