Thousands stranded as exodus intensifies<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of people failed to get out of the
\ncity as the Idul Fitri exodus gained momentum yesterday.<\/p>\n
Although additional trains and buses were deployed to take
\nhome the Idul Fitri revelers, they were barely sufficient as
\nthousands of people jostled and fought for every inch available
\non buses and trains leaving Jakarta yesterday.<\/p>\n
Chaos was the word of the day at the Senen and Gambir railways
\nstations as well as at the city's main bus terminals.<\/p>\n
At Senen station, impatient passengers heading for Surabaya
\nfilled every part of the afternoon train, some even settling for
\nthe rancid toilets, rather than wait for the evening train.<\/p>\n
Ticket hawkers, as usual, were running thriving rackets.<\/p>\n
A parking attendant at the Gambir station was offering tickets
\non the Jayabaya train to Surabaya at Rp 70,000 for an economy
\nseat, compared to the official price of only Rp 27,000. He had no
\nproblem finding takers.<\/p>\n
In the Pulogadung bus terminal, which caters to destinations
\nin Sumatra, Java and Bali, thousands of people were stuck because
\nthere weren't enough buses going to all the destinations.<\/p>\n
The security officers deployed to ensure order were left
\npowerless.<\/p>\n
Each time a bus arrived at the terminal, virtually everybody
\npushed their way into the bus, some joining the rush not really
\nknowing whether it was the right bus for their destination.<\/p>\n
The first aid centers set up at bus terminals were also kept
\nbusy. Some people collapsed, but most sought relief from mild
\ncolds.<\/p>\n
A number of cabinet ministers inspected the proceedings, and,
\nneedless to say, spouted their official messages.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Population Haryono Suyono, for example, was
\nat Senen railway station to remind homeward bound people not to
\nabandon family planning practices during the holiday.<\/p>\n
The National Family Planning Board has set up booths at
\nrailway and bus stations ready to dispense subsidized
\ncontraceptives to revelers. Similar booths have been set up at
\nthe other end to provide free condoms.<\/p>\n
\"Don't go wild just because the fasting month will end soon,\"
\nHaryono joked with some passengers.<\/p>\n
Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto, who was also
\nat Senen terminal, insisted that despite the chaos raging around
\nhim, the departures were more orderly than previous years.<\/p>\n
Officials estimate that more than three million of Jakarta's
\nnine million people will leave the city during Idul Fitri this
\nyear. In addition to Moslems celebrating Idul Fitri on Tuesday,
\nIndonesians of Chinese descent are marking the Lunar New Year on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Most of the ethnic Chinese are headed overseas, with all
\nflights to Beijing, Singapore and Taipei being fully booked this
\nweekend.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, truck drivers protested yesterday at the Merak
\nferry terminal, the crossing point to Sumatra, because the port
\nauthority was giving passenger cars priority over trucks.<\/p>\n
Around 500 trucks had been held up, some apparently carrying
\nperishable meat.<\/p>\n
Relief for the truck drivers came when Director General for
\nLand Transportation Soejono visited the site and ordered the port
\nauthority to allow the trucks on the ferry.<\/p>\n
Motorists faced hazardous slippery roads as the rain continued
\nto pound many parts of Java yesterday.<\/p>\n
Roads in the southern parts of Central Java were inundated by
\none meter of water since Thursday night, but traffic was back to
\nnormal by yesterday morning, Suara Pembaruan reported.<\/p>\n
The exodus will continue today and tomorrow, officials said.
\n04\/01\/anr\/byi)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thousands-stranded-as-exodus-intensifies-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }