Sukabumi. A surge of holidaymakers returning from Palabuhanratu Beach during the peak of Indonesia’s 2026 Eid exodus has triggered severe traffic congestion across key routes in Sukabumi, leaving motorists stranded for hours and overwhelming traffic management efforts.

Gridlock hit the alternative Cikidang route and the Cibadak arterial road from Monday to Tuesday, with some drivers reporting being stuck for more than 12 hours and forced to spend the night in their vehicles as traffic surged from the southern coast toward Bogor and Jakarta.

Authorities said the congestion was worsened by the challenging terrain along the Cikidang route, where steep inclines caused several vehicles to lose momentum or stall while climbing, triggering long tailbacks that quickly spiraled into gridlock.

The combination of returning holiday travelers and inbound tourists created an unbroken line of vehicles along the narrow and winding corridor, rendering traffic engineering measures largely ineffective.

Supri, a 34-year-old tourist heading to Cicurug, described his journey as a “long ordeal” after entering the Cikidang intersection.

“I left at noon and reached Cikidang at 2 p.m. After that, I was stuck until 2 a.m,” he said on Tuesday.

Another traveler, Memet, 41, from Jakarta, reported a similarly exhausting experience after departing from Palabuhanratu early in the morning for Cibadak, some 40 km away.

“I left at 5 a.m. and only reached Cibadak after hours on the road. It was very tiring,” he said.

Police had attempted to ease congestion by implementing multiple traffic engineering schemes, but the simultaneous influx of returning holidaymakers and tourists overwhelmed capacity, turning the Cikidang route into a major bottleneck. Authorities said traffic had begun to ease as of Tuesday.

Amid the chaos, a moment of relief emerged at the Parungkuda toll gate. A policewoman from the Sukabumi Traffic Unit rescued an 11-month-old baby who had been exposed to extreme heat while stuck in traffic during the one-way system.

The officer, identified as Officer Devi, acted after spotting a father carrying his baby under the scorching sun along a line of stalled vehicles. She quickly evacuated the child to a nearby integrated service post equipped with air conditioning and medical facilities.

The baby, the son of 25-year-old Muhammad Saipul Fajri from Ciambar, had been traveling with his family to Palabuhanratu when they were caught in the congestion.

“Our baby was sick. The weather was extremely hot, and I was worried about his condition,” Saipul said.

At the post, medical personnel examined the child and confirmed he was in good health.

“Fortunately, the baby was fine, calm, and did not show signs of distress after being moved to a cooler place,” Devi said, adding that assisting vulnerable road users, especially infants, is a priority during heavy traffic conditions.

Traffic into Sukabumi had already surged earlier in the holiday period. On the first day after Eid, authorities recorded a sharp increase in vehicle inflows, with up to 15,000 vehicles expected to enter the region by midnight, dominated by tourists.

Sukabumi Police Chief Samian said the spike had been building since morning, with most vehicles arriving from Jakarta and Bogor via the Bocimi Toll Road, including through the Parungkuda exit and the partially opened Karangtengah Section 3.

“By midnight, the number of incoming vehicles is expected to reach around 15,000 units,” he said.

Data showed 3,871 vehicles entered through the functional Bocimi Section 3, while 7,300 vehicles passed through the Parungkuda toll gate, contributing to the total surge.