In a surprising turn of events, the Bali Mandara Toll experienced an unprecedented gridlock with over 73,000 vehicles on Friday night, disrupting the year-end travel plans for many. The Manager of Operations and Maintenance at JBL, I Putu Gandi Ginantra, revealed that this figure set a new record for the highest number of vehicles passing through the toll in a single day.
Gandi emphasized the unexpected surge, stating, “The total number of transactions reached 73,000 vehicles, surpassing our plans and marking the highest in our operational history.” This figure marked a significant increase from the previous year’s 50,000 vehicles, with 35 percent of the total being two-wheelers.
Gandi predicts a continued rise in traffic on January 1 and sheds light on the causes of the congestion that led to tourists walking to Ngurah Rai Airport due to an overloaded situation at the airport’s exit gate.
Contrary to assumptions, Gandi clarified, “The bottleneck was not at the entrance gate; all transactions were normal without any queues as personnel assisted road users with card tapping.” To prevent such incidents, JBL has coordinated with the police and transportation departments, even preparing shuttle buses to alleviate potential future congestion.
Gandi urged toll users to ensure their electronic cards are adequately loaded to avoid long queues and subsequent traffic jams. He emphasized, “User preparedness significantly influences toll road conditions.”
Earlier, videos circulated on social media depicting passengers forced to exit vehicles and walk along the Bali Mandara Toll towards Ngurah Rai Airport, highlighting the severity of the traffic jam. Local and foreign tourists alike were seen walking, with some receiving assistance from authorities on motorcycles.
According to Kompol I Made Berata, Head of Operations at Ngurah Rai Airport Police, the congestion resulted from the high volume of arrivals and departures of tourists during the holiday period. JBL’s proactive measures and continuous monitoring aim to prevent similar situations in the future, ensuring a smoother travel experience on the Bali Mandara Toll.
Add a comment