M.H. Thamrin, Jakarta's central artery, shuts down for nine hours Saturday, June 27, for the city's 499th-anniversary celebration at Hotel Indonesia Roundabout. The closure stretches from Sarinah to Dukuh Atas in Central Jakarta.
The main event, titled "Toward Five Centuries of Jakarta," runs from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The road will be cleared 1.5 hours before performances begin and remain closed for an hour after the stage shuts down, allowing crowds to clear before traffic returns.
The Jakarta Department of Transportation is deploying 475 personnel for traffic control and security, establishing eight alternate routes from multiple directions and preparing 21 parking zones. "We are setting up traffic management step by step and situationally, along with alternative routes, parking zones, and public transportation support," said Budi Awaluddin, head of the Department of Transportation.
The road closure is part of a broader mobility package. MRT Jakarta, LRT Jakarta, and Transjakarta buses will charge 1 rupiah for all riders on June 27-28, regardless of where they live. Sunday's Car Free Day on H.R. Rasuna Said street is canceled so residents concentrate activities in the Sudirman-Thamrin corridor. Earlier, Jakarta's provincial government extended the same discounted transit rate to all Indonesia ID holders on June 22, 27, and 28.
Why is Thamrin the celebration's center?
M.H. Thamrin is Central Jakarta's main artery, carrying hundreds of thousands of vehicles daily. Over recent years, the Sarinah-to-Dukuh Atas stretch has been redesigned with pedestrian decks and integrated transit stations. The road is named after Mohammad Husni Thamrin, a Betawi activist, and choosing this corridor for the "Toward Five Centuries" theme signals where the provincial government wants to shift the city's center of gravity: from a highway to public space and transit hubs.
"The city's 499th year is a milestone toward five centuries of Jakarta's history. This year's celebration brings residents many things: more comfortable public spaces, easier mobility, and entertainment and cultural activities," said Suharini Eliawati, chair of the 499th-anniversary committee.
Saturday's main event features performances from Padi Reborn, Mahalini, Adrian Khalif, Cici Paramida, and other artists, free to the public. Sunday, June 28, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., brings a giant balloon parade from Sarinah, marching bands, a mass traditional dance performance with about 500 dancers, and a collaboration featuring Gambang Kromong and ballet.
The eight-route test
Shutting Thamrin for nine hours on a weekend shifts traffic to nearby streets: Imam Bonjol, Kebon Sirih, and roads toward Kuningan and Semanggi. The Department of Transportation has mapped eight alternate routes to absorb the spillover.
The 1-rupiah transit fare plus the road closure give residents a concrete reason to skip private cars. The number of MRT, LRT, and Transjakarta riders on June 27-28 will be the real measure of whether this two-sided approach succeeds in shifting how people move through the city's most congested corridor.
Jakarta's provincial government is urging residents to adjust travel schedules and use public transportation while the events take place. Whether 21 parking zones and eight alternate routes can contain the vehicle overflow, or whether congestion simply shifts to Semanggi and Kuningan, Saturday evening will tell.
