"In connection with Pope Francis' visit to Indonesia from September 3-6, 2024, we are implementing traffic management in the areas he will visit and for the grand mass," said the agency head, Syafrin Liputo, to ANTARA on Sunday.
The Pope will embark on an apostolic journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore from September 2-13, 2024, with Indonesia as his first stop.
He is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 3, and will meet President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace the following day.
Three main venues will host the Pope's visit: the Cathedral Church, Istiqlal Mosque, and Bung Karno Stadium, all located in Central Jakarta, where government offices and business districts are situated.
On September 5, Pope Francis is expected to attend an interfaith meeting at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta before leading a mass at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium complex, where around 80,000 Catholics are anticipated to attend.
Acting Governor of Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono earlier this week urged Jakarta residents to pay attention to traffic conditions and consider working from home on September 5.
Hartono issued this advisory due to the large-scale mass at Bung Karno Stadium and the International Sustainability Forum (ISF) being held at the Jakarta Convention Center. He noted that these events could potentially lead to congestion and traffic diversions at several points in Jakarta.
According to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the ISF, which will be opened by President Joko Widodo, is expected to be attended by 8,000 participants from more than 50 countries, making it one of the largest climate action events in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Jakarta Convention Center and Bung Karno Stadium are relatively close to each other, approximately 2-3 kilometers apart (about 1.2-1.9 miles). This distance is roughly a 5-10 minute drive under normal traffic conditions.
The Bung Karno Stadium is situated within the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex on Jenderal Gatot Subroto Street, where the Jakarta Convention Center is also located.
The National Police has deployed 4,520 personnel to secure Pope Francis' visit to Indonesia.
The last papal visit to Indonesia was made by Pope John Paul II in October 1989 as part of an apostolic journey, which also included stops in several other countries.
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Translator: Siti Nurhaliza, Tia Mutiasari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
