PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Bandung City is preparing to welcome a large-scale national running event, the Pocari Run, which will take place for two days on September 19-20, 2026.

A total of 15,000 participants are scheduled to take part in the event. Approximately 70 percent of participants are from outside Bandung, making the event expected to have a significant impact on the tourism sector and the regional economy.

Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan stated that the Pocari Run is one of six major national running events. Therefore, the Bandung City Government is paying special attention to its organization.

"The Pocari Run is one of six major national running events. So, it's very strategic for the city of Bandung," said Farhan at the Bandung City Hall on Thursday (September 17, 2026).

According to him, the event was managed by the West Java Provincial Government until 2024. However, from 2025 onward, the Bandung City Government (Pemkot) has been tasked with overseeing the Pocari Run.

The Bandung City Government will involve several regional agencies and regional elements to ensure the event runs safely and orderly. These include the Transportation Agency, Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), the organizing committee, and sub-district heads and village heads in the areas along the running route.

"We will oversee this event because the two-day event, involving 15,000 participants, 70 percent of whom come from outside Bandung, has a tremendous economic impact. It will boost Bandung's tourism economy," he said.

On the other hand, the Bandung City Government is aware that holding a large-scale running event will impact residents' mobility.

Farhan confirmed that the roads used by participants would not be completely closed, but would instead implement an open-close system. This traffic management was implemented to maintain a balance between the smooth running of the event and the needs of road users.

"It's impossible for Bandung City to completely sterilize a route. But we will implement an open-close scheme," he said.

Traffic controls will be in place from early morning. On Saturday, traffic will begin on some roads around 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. WIB. On Sunday, controls will be in place from around 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. WIB.

A number of roads that need public attention include Jalan Merdeka, Vanda, Wastukancana, Pajajaran, Cicendo, RE Martadinata, Dago, Diponegoro, Supratman, Cihampelas, Cicaheum, Kiaracondong, Gatot Subroto, Asia Afrika, Sudirman, Gardujati, and back to the Bandung City Hall area.

Farhan also asked marshals or security officers along the route to prioritize patience when dealing with vehicle users affected by traffic engineering.

He said that security not only involved the committee but also the Police, TNI, Transportation Agency and Public Order Agency (Satpol PP).

"We express our gratitude for the close cooperation between the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda), especially the City Police, who have provided us with guidance on how to implement this effectively," he said.

In addition to traffic engineering, the Bandung City Government also paid attention to a number of cheering points, where communities and supporters could encourage participants.

Farhan said that the sweep would be carried out together with the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) to ensure that no violations occurred at these points.

This became a concern after an incident which, according to Farhan, had reduced the positive value of holding the event.

"We will conduct sweeps, especially at so-called cheering points, where the community is invited to offer encouragement. We will guard each and every one of them. There must be no violations," he said.

Cleanliness is also a priority at the Pocari Run. The Bandung City Government and the organizing committee have prepared specific measures to manage the waste generated during the event.

Pocari has prepared the Eco Blue Project, which is tasked with collecting plastic waste during the activity to then be processed and recycled.

Farhan said that participants and committee members must maintain cleanliness along the route.

"When it comes to waste, we're both equally aggressive. We must conduct sweeps so that all plastic waste will be collected by Project Eco Blue and recycled," he said.

According to him, sporting events like the Pocari Run not only impact the economy and tourism, but can also encourage healthy lifestyle habits in the community.

"Running is more than just a sport. These running events, from the global to the national level, demonstrate extraordinary contributions. They contribute not only to the economy but also to healthy lifestyle habits for the community," he said.

To support the smooth mobility of participants and the public, a number of parking pockets have also been prepared around the area that is part of the activity.

Six parking locations have been prepared, including:

1. BIP Parking
2. Provincial Water Resources Service Office Parking, Jalan Wastukencana
3. Al Ukhuwah Mosque Parking Lot
4. Maritime Service, Jalan Wastukencana
5. BJB Syariah, Jalan Wastukencana
6. Human Resources Department Parking Lot, Jalan Nias

The Bandung City Government urges residents traveling on September 19-20 to pay attention to traffic management information and adjust their travel plans, especially during the early morning hours.

Farhan explained that this arrangement was made so that the event would continue to provide benefits for the City of Bandung without neglecting the interests of road users.

"The balance must be maintained, because any shared use of the road will inevitably cause discomfort," he said.

(Bandung City Communications and Information Service/rka)