BOGOR, Sept 17 — A long weekend holiday turned into a nightmare for travellers in Indonesia’s West Java province as severe traffic congestion left motorists stranded for as long as 14 hours in the popular mountainous region of Puncak.
Major Indonesian news outlets reported that the gridlock, described as the “worst” by many locals, occurred over the extended break to commemorate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday.
Photographs shared widely on social media showed cars at a complete standstill, with many drivers leaving their vehicles to rest by the roadside.
“We are used to Puncak traffic jams, but this time I’ve been stuck for 14 hours,” one resident, Ade, told local news outlet Detik.
Another traveller, Yuli, said it was her first time being caught in such a long traffic jam, having been on the road since 10am on September 15 until the early morning of the next day.
Police reported that over 140,000 vehicles crossed the Puncak area, double the capacity that the roads could accommodate, leading to the massive bottleneck. Impatient motorcyclists driving against traffic worsened the situation, bringing the flow to a complete halt.
Puncak, located about 70km from Jakarta, is a popular weekend getaway known for its tea plantations and cool weather.
Normally, the journey from Jakarta takes just under two hours, but the long weekend saw traffic reach unprecedented levels.
Amid the chaos, a 56-year-old tourist from East Jakarta reportedly died after being stuck in traffic for nine hours.
Authorities, however, denied that the traffic jam caused her death, citing underlying health conditions.
