Jakarta Not Closing Roads, Toll Roads over Coronavirus: Police
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30 March 2020 09:30 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Metro Police’s Traffic Directorate dismissed issues saying the police planned to close the city’s main and toll roads heading to the capital in a bid to curb the spread of the new coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2.
“No road closure in Jakarta today,” said Jakarta Police Traffic Director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yugo to Tempo on Monday, March 30.
The Police’s Traffic Directorate also clarified the issue through its Twitter account @TMCPoldaMetro, announcing that Jakarta roads, either the primary roads and highways, are operating normally.
As reported by the official account at 07:59 a.m., today’s traffic in Jalan Letjen M.T Haryono or in front of Bukopin is observed smooth and quite packed.
Earlier on Sunday, several documents related to road closures in the capital were circulated via Whatsapp. However, the police balked at considering the road blocking as a simulation of a city quarantine or lockdown.
A telegram letter was also widely circulated, noting Jakarta Police Chief’s orders on road closure or traffic diversion dated on March 28.
Jakarta Metro Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said the letter was aimed at demanding data of each region for the simulation measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Jakarta is still imposing social distancing, physical distancing, not local quarantine or lockdown. But we need to simulate it. So whatever happens later, we would have been prepared,” said Yusri when asked for confirmation on Sunday, March 29.
M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH
