Idul Fitri exodus might peak tomorrow<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The number of travelers leaving the city may
\npeak to tomorrow despite earlier predictions the exodus would
\nease if it peaked yesterday and today.<\/p>\n
Only 10 out of the 15 additional bus terminals were operating
\nyesterday while the four main intercity terminals were not too
\ncrowded.<\/p>\n
Only 15,721 passengers had departed from the Pulo Gadung
\nterminal, East Jakarta yesterday by 2 a.m. compared to at least
\n40,000 Sunday.<\/p>\n
Discounted train tickets have not so far attracted as many
\ntravelers as expected, director of the state-run railway firm,
\nPerumka, Soemino Eko Saputro said yesterday.<\/p>\n
"Until Feb. 5, four days before Idul Fitri, the total number
\nof passengers was less than that of last year," Soemino said.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday Perumka's central information center at Gambir
\nreported that at 7 p.m. the city's six stations were quiet.<\/p>\n
One train set to leave the Tanah Abang station for Kutoarjo,
\nCentral Java, was canceled because there weren't enough
\npassengers.<\/p>\n
The city land transportation agency's 24-hour post recorded
\nthat until 8 a.m. yesterday, the number of passengers departing
\nfrom bus terminals since Jan. 26 was 467,234.<\/p>\n
Around three million are expected to leave the city for Idul
\nFitri celebrations.<\/p>\n
"Last year, the number of passengers recorded leaving the city
\nfour days before Idul Fitri was 472,360," said Ucep, a transport
\nagency monitoring post official said.<\/p>\n
By 2 p.m. yesterday, the Kalideres bus terminal in East
\nJakarta recorded the highest number of passengers at 31,112. The
\npassengers were leaving for Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto, in an
\ninspection yesterday at Pulo Gadung, repeated calls that
\npassengers should report cases of illegal bus fares.<\/p>\n
The report, he said, should be based on evidence. Passengers
\nhave said it is useless reporting cases.<\/p>\n
On reports of illegal fare hikes, Haryanto said so far no such
\nreports had been filed by passengers.<\/p>\n
But some bus operators do raise their fares higher than the 25
\npercent above the normal prices allowed by the government.<\/p>\n
Ahmad, a passenger from Semarang, said he had had to accept a
\nticketing official's demand to pay Rp 45,000 (US$18.70) for the
\nair-conditioned Limas Express bus to Solo. The officer erased the
\nwritten charge of Rp 37,000 and wrote a new fare, Rp 45,000.<\/p>\n
Another passenger heading for Madura island had to pay Rp
\n41,000 for the economy class Setia Bakti bus. The permitted fare
\nwas Rp 26,000.<\/p>\n
Toga S., deputy head of the Pulo Gadung police subprecinct
\nsaid that during a raid Wednesday evening several bus crews were
\ncaught charging passengers on board, after the buses had already
\nleft terminals, and before passengers had been informed of the
\nfares. Charging passengers on board is only allowed while buses
\nare in terminals.<\/p>\n
The plainclothes officers then reprimanded the bus crew.<\/p>\n
Haryanto regretted many travelers didn't know about the other
\nterminals.<\/p>\n
However, prospective passengers at Senayan confirmed yesterday
\nbuses for Sumatra destinations were not available. (ste\/11)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/idul-fitri-exodus-might-peak-tomorrow-1447893297",
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