Car Free Day on August 17, 2025, Canceled Due to a Ceremony.

KatadataOTO – To ensure the smooth flow of traffic in the Capital City during the August 17th ceremony at the Merdeka Palace, the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency will cancel the Car Free Day event. Thus, people who want to watch the morning ceremony can use motorized vehicles.

This policy is actually not too surprising because the August 17th ceremony is indeed attended by many state guests. Easy access is needed to ensure the event runs smoothly.

“Because August 17th falls on a Sunday, the Car Free Day event will be canceled,” said Syafrin Liputo, Head of the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency, as reported by Antara (07/08).

Nevertheless, the public can still enjoy the weekend and celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia by attending the People's Festival, which will be held at Monas from morning until night.

Photo : KatadataOTO

According to Juri Ardiantoro, Deputy Minister of State Secretary, the government has prepared several events to celebrate August 17th. One of them is the Independence Carnival which will be held on the evening of August 17, 2025.

In the carnival, ministries/agencies, as well as the TNI and Polri, will parade using decorated floats to showcase their respective flagship programs. The event route is from the Monas area to the Semanggi Interchange.

The number of events held around the Merdeka Palace and the National Monument (Monas) makes the Car Free Day activity considered less effective. This is because the road load will increase, causing congestion on several other roads.

To avoid this, the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency will implement traffic engineering in several locations. Thus, the event can proceed smoothly without inconveniencing the public.

Photo : KatadataOTO

The public is advised to readjust their travel schedules to avoid disruptions. It is a good idea to look for alternative routes during Independence Day to maintain mobility.

If necessary, several public transportation options are available and will operate normally to take people to various points in the Capital City. These include Transjakarta, LRT, and MRT with competitive fares.