TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Mohamed Bin Zayed (MBZ) elevated toll road, which was formerly known as the Jakarta-Cikampek II elevated toll road, will be closed from May 5 to 18, 2021. State toll road operator PT Jasa Marga said the closure was suggested by the National Police Traffic Unit.

“However, it is still awaiting for the decision of the Ministry of PUPR (Public Works and Housing),” said Jasa Marga Operation and Maintenance Management Group Head, Atika Dara Prahita, at a press conference in Jasa Marga Toll Road Command Center, Bekasi, West Java, Tuesday, May 4, 2021.

The closure plan would be part of the firm’s support for the government’s Eid homecoming ban policy. As widely reported, the government decided to bar people from returning to their hometown for 2021 Eid al-Fitr from May 6 to 17.

The company would also open checkpoint posts to check documents of travel requirements of travelers and conduct random sampling of antigen tests in rest and service areas (TIP) 519B Solo Ngawi, TIP KM57A Jakarta-Cikampek, TIP KM72A, and TIP KM 88A Cipularang.

Jasa Marga previously predicted that the number of vehicles leaving Jakarta Greater Area or Jabodetabek for Eid homecoming from May 6-12 or D-7 to D-1 would be 593,185 vehicles, increased by 27.19 percent from last year’s season.

“In the peak of Eid homecoming on May 11 (D-2), it is predicted to reach 109,327 vehicles,” said Atika on Tuesday.

Read: Jakarta-Cikampek II Toll Road Fare to Increase

FAJAR PEBRIANTO