VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta's roads again packed with vehicles. (ANTARA/Andi Firdaus)

Vehicles thronged several toll road sections in eastern parts of Jakarta and its main roads, Monday, as offices gradually reopened after Governor Anies Baswedan's decision to put in place a transitional period since June 5.

To manage the congestion issue, the police conducted the counterflow of vehicles on Jakarta's inner ring road of KM00+200- KM 08+100 section at 6 a.m. local time, spokesperson of state-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga Irra Susiyanti remarked.

The influx of vehicles, mostly private cars, was observed from the Cawang toll road entrance gate despite the authorities' decision to reopen offices at 50-percent capacity amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Drivers and motorists packed the MT Haryono Road in Cawang en route to the areas of Central and South Jakarta.

"Scores of vehicles made a dash for the city's road sections," Adi Nurgaha, a 41-year-old employee of a privately owned company in South Jakarta, stated.

Nurgaha, who drove his car to reach his office, recalled having spotted congestion on road sections, such as Panglima Polim, Gatot Subroto, and Dewi Sartika.

In spite of the COVID-19 curve flattening in several of the capital city's administrative areas, the Jakarta provincial government continues to enforce large-scale social restriction and distancing measures until the end of June 2020.

However, the Jakarta provincial government has decided on a transitional period, starting from June 5, during which business activities can gradually resume, albeit strictly following the COVID-19 protocols.

During the transitional period, the Jakarta provincial government has appealed to the city's residents to wear face masks while venturing outdoors, and those found flouting the rule will be imposed a fine of Rp250 thousand.

The provincial government had earlier confirmed to have distributed some 20 million free masks to its residents.

It also cautioned its residents to temporarily keep children, pregnant women, and elderly away from events that draw a horde of people during the transitional period toward a new normal that will come into effect since June 5, 2020.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan emphasized that people, with comorbidities, were also banned from partaking in events involving congregation of people since they fell in the vulnerable group amid the ongoing global pandemic of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

To this end, Jakarta's residents, who fall sick, are urged to stay at home, and all should adhere to the healthcare protocols during the transitional period, he remarked.

Ahead of the transitional period, Jakarta's firefighters sprayed disinfectant at 31 traditional markets in the capital city's eastern parts to stem the transmission of COVID-19. (ANTARA)