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Yogyakarta Targets Full Pedestrian Malioboro Area by November
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Yogyakarta Targets Full Pedestrian Malioboro Area by November

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • The Yogyakarta Special Region government plans to implement a full pedestrian zone in Malioboro by November 2026.
  • This involves installing portals on 13 side streets to manage vehicle access and prevent them from entering the main corridor during pedestrian hours.
  • The policy aims to create a safer, healthier, and more pedestrian-friendly environment, while also managing traffic flow and encouraging eco-friendly transport.

The Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) government is targeting November 2026 for the full implementation of a pedestrian-only zone in the popular Malioboro area. This initiative aims to transform the bustling street into a safer, more comfortable, and healthier space for pedestrians.

To enforce the pedestrian zone, the local transportation agency is preparing to install portals on 13 side streets that provide access to Malioboro's main corridor. This project has an allocated budget of approximately Rp230 million for the procurement and installation of 20 portal units. The portals will replace damaged safety barriers and are intended to strengthen access management, preventing motorized vehicles from entering the area during designated pedestrian hours.

Officials emphasize that the portal system will not be a permanent restriction but rather a scheduled access management system. Emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire trucks, along with other public service vehicles, will still have access. Business owners will also be accommodated with specific times for loading and unloading goods, primarily during the night and early morning before 9:00 AM.

Installation of portals on the side streets of Malioboro as a replacement for damaged safety barriers has started in June 2026. There are 13 street sections that will be installed.

— Chrestina Erni WidyastutiChrestina Erni Widyastuti, Head of the DIY Transportation Agency, detailed the plan for installing portals on side streets.

The DIY government anticipates that this policy will enhance driver discipline and encourage the use of environmentally friendly transportation modes like electric rickshaws within Malioboro. While acknowledging potential concerns from business owners regarding logistics access, the authorities believe the pedestrianization will ultimately boost tourist visits and spending, thereby stimulating the local economy in the long term.

The policy is part of a broader effort to create a pedestrian-friendly environment and reduce traffic congestion. The government hopes that by freeing Malioboro from vehicular density, it can improve the overall visitor experience and economic vitality of the area.

The portal system implemented is not a permanent restriction, but rather uses an access management system or scheduled opening and closing.

— Chrestina Erni WidyastutiChrestina Erni Widyastuti explained the operational mechanism of the planned portals.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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