Nusantara (ANTARA) - The primary toll road of Indonesia's future capital, Nusantara (IKN), will open earlier at 4:30 a.m. local time (GMT+8) on Saturday (March 21) to ease mobility for Eid al-Fitr prayer at the IKN State Mosque.
"The toll road will remain operational until 6 p.m. that day," said Yudi Hardiana, Head of the East Kalimantan Office of the National Road Authority, in Sepaku, Nusantara, on Friday.
He explained that the authority had placed the IKN toll road under a temporary operational period from March 13 to 29, accessible daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The arrangement is specifically adjusted for Eid al-Fitr day on Saturday with an early opening.
The adjustment, he continued, is intended to ensure smooth traffic in support of the inaugural Eid al-Fitr prayer at the State Mosque, scheduled to begin at 6:30 a.m. local time tomorrow.
Hardiana added that residents would be able to reach the mosque via the toll road, accessing it through several points in neighboring Balikpapan City, including the Batakan Stadium area in East Balikpapan Subdistrict and Mukmin Faisal Street in South Balikpapan Subdistrict.
To enhance travel safety, he said the authority had installed lights along the toll road, launched routine patrols, carried out intensive traffic control measures, and set up security posts to enable real-time monitoring of vehicle flow.
Meanwhile, IKN Authority (OIKN) spokesperson Troy Pantouw emphasized that the State Mosque is open to all residents seeking to join the congregational prayer.
He noted that the OIKN had prepared parking areas within the mosque complex and surrounding streets, as well as buses to transport residents to the mosque from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Moreover, the authority has readied electric vehicles dedicated to facilitating the elderly, pregnant women, and people with disabilities in reaching the house of worship.
