Jakarta. About 1.2 million vehicles have exited the Greater Jakarta area over the past week leading up to Christmas, Indonesia’s national traffic police said, accounting for 41.5 percent of the projected 2.9 million vehicles expected to leave the capital during the year-end holiday period.

National Traffic Police chief Insp. Gen. Agus Suryonugroho said on Thursday that holiday travel surged in two main waves. The first peak occurred on Saturday, when around 189,000 vehicles left Jakarta. The second and larger wave took place from Christmas Eve through Thursday morning, with traffic reaching about 201,000 vehicles.

“Overall, traffic flows have been reported as relatively well controlled,” Agus told reporters in East Jakarta.

Despite the sharp increase in vehicle volumes, police said traffic management measures have been implemented effectively and adjusted in real time based on conditions on the ground.

In the Puncak highlands in Bogor, authorities enforced one-way traffic schemes and diversions at several congestion-prone points to prevent gridlock. In Yogyakarta, traffic density has risen in popular tourist areas such as Malioboro, though conditions remain manageable.

“On the toll roads, one-way traffic arrangements [out of Jakarta] were briefly implemented in the afternoon,” Agus said.

He also urged large trucks to comply with holiday traffic restrictions and avoid toll roads during the designated ban period.

“I have received reports that some large trucks are still using toll roads,” Agus said.

Earlier, the Transportation Ministry imposed restrictions on freight trucks using toll roads until Jan. 4, exempting vehicles transporting essential goods and fuel.

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