Provinces prepare for annual Idul Fitri exodus<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Government offices across the country are
\nintensifying preparations to facilitate the exodus of 26.2
\nmillion people from urban centers to towns and villages for the
\nIdul Fitri holiday.<\/p>\n
Antara reported yesterday that 16,232 members of the Armed
\nForces and other institutions will be deployed to maintain
\nsecurity during the celebrations in West Java.<\/p>\n
Provincial police chief Maj. Gen. Chairuddin Ismail said in
\nBandung Tuesday that several incidents had indicated the province
\ncould see disturbances during the holiday.<\/p>\n
He said violence, murder and accidents were on the rise and
\nshould therefore be handled appropriately.<\/p>\n
The police have set up 211 command posts along main roads for
\nthe Jan. 20 to Feb. 8 period to help motorists. The posts are
\nbeing manned by medics and mechanics.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java, the main bus station Terboyo has
\nprepared 1,621 buses, plus 100 reserve buses, to cope with the
\nincrease in travelers a week before and after Idul Fitri which,
\naccording to government calendars, falls on Jan. 30.<\/p>\n
The provincial office of the Ministry of Public Works has
\nprepared water pumps in case of floods which could hamper
\ntraffic. The pumps have already been set up at some flood-prone
\nareas such as Brebes regency.<\/p>\n
In Padang, the capital of West Sumatra, the news agency
\nreported that the administration has prepared 11,684 public
\ntransportation vehicles to serve the population of 4.3 million
\npeople.<\/p>\n
This includes 2,130 local transportation vehicles, 795
\ninterprovince buses, and 4,952 minibuses for the villages. The
\nadministration has also provided 75 extra buses as reserve, and a
\n25 percent discount will apply for all public transportation.<\/p>\n
The Palembang Port Authority in South Sumatra will deploy the
\nexpress ship Bahari-5 from Jan. 25 to facilitate travel. The ship
\nhas a capacity of 217 passengers. Another four ships have already
\nbeen deployed.<\/p>\n
The port predicted a 25 percent increase in the number of
\ntravelers from Palembang to Muntok on Bangka Island during the
\nIdul Fitri holiday.<\/p>\n
In Central Sulawesi, it was reported that the provincial
\npolice will deploy thousands of members, including 400 personnel
\nin the capital of Palu, to maintain law and order during the
\nfestivities.<\/p>\n
The police officers will be posted to festive centers such as
\nshopping malls, mosques and the main thoroughfare, Antara quoted
\npolice spokesman Major Agus Sugiono as saying.<\/p>\n
The provincial office of the Ministry of Transportation has
\nprepared 350 buses to serve travelers in the province.<\/p>\n
Peak<\/p>\n
Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto urged Tuesday
\nall field personnel under his ministry to be ready for an
\nincrease in traffic this Saturday and Sunday when large numbers
\nof people will return to their home towns or villages for Idul
\nFitri.<\/p>\n
A total 26.2 million people are expected to travel over the
\nholiday this year with 23.5 million of them likely to travel
\noverland, Director General of Land Transportation Santo Budiono
\nwas quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
\"We have prepared buses as well as trains to meet the
\ntransportation needs during those days,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Accidents<\/p>\n
The news agency also quoted Singgih Abadi from the state
\nrailway company Perumka as saying that 423 out of the total 700
\nrailway crossings between Purworejo in Central Java and Ciamis in
\nWest Java, are regular sites of accidents because they have no
\ngates.<\/p>\n
The crossings will be guarded by Perumka employees over the
\nholiday, but there may not be enough men, said Singgih.<\/p>\n
\"We are calling on motorists to be really careful when they
\ncome to the railway crossings,\" Singgih said.<\/p>\n
He also warned that some areas in Central Java, such as
\nKarangsari, Kali Logawa, Karanggandul, Jeruk Legi and
\nKawunganten, are prone to landslides and floods.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, for instance, 561 railway crossings do not have
\nguards and are therefore also common sites of accidents. The
\nrailway stretches from Bojonegoro to Pekalongan, and a train
\npasses every 18 minutes.<\/p>\n
The road stretching along the northern coast of Java is also
\nconsidered a frequent site of accidents because of the frequent
\nbottlenecks and unfinished construction work.<\/p>\n
Along the road connecting Karawang and Cirebon in West Java,
\nfor instance, there are dozens of bridges still under repair or
\nconstruction, including the Jatisari and Cikampek bridges. There
\nare also several bridges under repair in Indramayu.<\/p>\n
Bottlenecks are common along the road connecting Ciasem,
\nSubang, Batangsari, and Pamanukan. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/provinces-prepare-for-annual-idul-fitri-exodus-1447893297",
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