Bali Transportation Agency Bans Vehicles From Entering Shopping Centers During Christmas-New Year Holidays

Head of the Bali Transportation Agency, IGW Samsi Gunarta, was interviewed about the plan to restrict access to shopping centers during traffic jams at Nataru, Denpasar, Tuesday (12/24/2024) (ANTARA/Ni Putu Putri Muwantari)

The Bali Transportation Agency (Dishub) has prohibited access to vehicles entering shopping centers or restaurants on the road around I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in the event of a traffic jam during Christmas and New Year's 2025.

Head of Bali Transportation Agency, IGW Samsi Gunarta, explained that these efforts were not closed.

However, any vehicle that wants to enter or lower customers will not be allowed to smooth the flow of traffic.

"It's not closed, yes, but we will make sure it can't be accessed if it's jammed, so everyone must be launched automatically so they don't get guests because it has to be smooth," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, December 24.

The Bali Transportation Agency emphasized that this condition was only carried out when a fatal traffic jam occurred, especially if it had an impact on traffic leading to and leaving I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, with the most potential road, namely Sunset Road, ByPass Ngurah Rai Street, Tuban and Kuta Highways, even possible to Jalan Uluwatu.

"This is done during the Christmas and New Year 2025 period, seen from the dynamics of the situational field, the anticipation date is a bit long, it is estimated that the hotel (solid) from December 23 to January 6, hopefully there will be no severe buildup like last year," he said.

Samsi admitted that he had communicated with shopping centers and restaurants around the road to the airport, this plan did not get rejected because if forced, business owners would be affected by traffic jams instead of focusing on selling.

Before the fatal traffic jam occurred, he had also appealed to entrepreneurs, especially souvenir shops, so that potential buyers who want to enter the vehicle do not hinder traffic.

"If the parking is full, don't force it, and there have been talks, such as Krishna Souvenirs, the distribution can be shared, apart from ByPass, there is also in Kuta, I see that the participation of fellow entrepreneurs is better," he said.

In addition to closing access to shopping centers and restaurants, the Bali Transportation Agency also limits transportation, not essential goods and other transportation that do not want to go to the airport but through the road.

A road diversion scheme was also prepared, one of which prohibited vehicles from turning directly at the roundabout to the airport, his party engineered the route by directing vehicles to continue roads to the Kedonganan intersection and turning around to enter the airport.