Thousands stranded as train derails in Central Java<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of travelers were left stranded at
\nrailway stations in Central and East Java when a train bound for
\nthe Senen railway station derailed in Karang Gandul, Purwokerto,
\nCentral Java, early Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
The derailment, which disrupted the southern railway line,
\ncaused other train services to be delayed for several hours.<\/p>\n
No fatalities were reported in the derailment which took place
\naround 1:45 a.m.<\/p>\n
\"Several passengers suffered minor injuries,\" spokesman for
\noperational section I of the state-owned PT Kereta Api Indonesia
\n(KA) Zaenal Abidin said.<\/p>\n
\"The track was restored by 5:40 a.m. and now the southern line
\nis back to normal,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The accident took place between Prupuk and Purwokerto in
\nCentral Java where some 500 meters of damaged railway track was
\ndiscovered, Zaenal said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
As a result 23 scheduled train departures experienced delays.<\/p>\n
The influx of people returning to Jakarta from their hometowns
\nafter the holidays is increasing.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, Minister of Transportation and
\nTelecommunications Lt. Gen. (ret.) Agum Gumelar warned bus
\noperators that his office will not hesitate to impose firm
\nsanctions, including revoking bus permits, on companies found to
\nhave violated rules during the holiday exodus.<\/p>\n
The minister claimed he had received several reports on
\nviolations during Idul Fitri such as the one allegedly committed
\nby a bus operator in Aceh when it forced its passengers, heading
\nfor Surakarta, Central Java, to get off the bus in Cirebon, West
\nJava.<\/p>\n
The abandoned passengers then continued their journey by train
\nwith the assistance of PT KA.<\/p>\n
The minister also expressed his concern over increasing
\nvandalism.<\/p>\n
\"Vandalism, such as pelting stones at passing trains, is
\ncausing losses to train operators. Those people ought to do
\nsomething better with their lives,\" Agum said during a visit to
\nthe Tugu railway station in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Railway stations in Yogyakarta were packed on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Travelers rushed to board the Empu Jaya, even taking up places
\nin corridors and toilets.<\/p>\n
The 800-passenger train was believed to have been filled to
\ntwice its capacity.<\/p>\n
The head of the Lempuyangan railway station Ahmad Hudori urged
\npassengers not to force their way into the train for safety
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
It mostly went unheeded.<\/p>\n
Bali also saw an increase in travelers.<\/p>\n
About 147 buses left the Ubung bus terminal on Tuesday,
\ncompared to the 116 on Sunday.<\/p>\n
An official with the provincial City Land Transportation
\nAgency, Nyoman Sudika, predicts the departures would increase as
\nthe weekend approaches.<\/p>\n
A long queue was also seen at Gilimanuk port as cars and
\npassengers waited for the half-hour ferry ride to Ketapang, East
\nJava.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java, head of the Terboyo bus terminal
\nKusnendar said his office had to use several additional buses to
\ntransport the hundreds of travelers bound for Purwokerto due to
\nthe late arrival of incoming buses on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
He said the delay of the incoming buses was mainly caused by
\nheavy traffic congestion in the southern route.(edt\/lup)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thousands-stranded-as-train-derails-in-central-java-1447893297",
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