Transportation problems on increase prior to Idul Fitri<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Idul Fitri holidays are still two weeks away,
\nbut major highways and ports in populous Java and Sumatra are
\nbecoming increasingly jammed by homeward bound revelers.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of trucks carrying supplies for the holidays that
\npeak on Feb. 9 and 10 were stalled due to traffic jams on Java's
\nhighways.<\/p>\n
The authorities estimate about 25 million people will return
\nto their home villages this season.<\/p>\n
The last seven days have seen hundreds of trucks inching their
\nway en route to Bakauheni port in Lampung, Sumatra waiting for
\nferries to take them across the Sunda Strait to Java.<\/p>\n
Built in 1983, Bakauheni is the only route to Java for
\npassengers using land and sea transportation. During peak
\nseasons, it deploys its full armada of 15 ferries that can carry
\n29,000 people and 3,000 vehicles in 40 sorties per day.<\/p>\n
Antara reported yesterday that a throng of trucks carrying
\nperishable vegetables, food and goods had packed the port's
\nparking lot over the last two days. They had to wait for up to 12
\nhours to get a ferry.<\/p>\n
No queues, however, were seen at each of the port's ticket
\nboxes.<\/p>\n
A Bakauheni port employee said the number of passengers
\npouring into the port had exceeded the usual 15,000 per day.<\/p>\n
"The increase is not significant so far, perhaps because all
\nthe ferries work well," he said.<\/p>\n
Idul Fitri, Christmas and school holidays have always been
\nmarked by vehicles's queues kilometers long at Bakauheni harbor
\nand its counterpart in Merak, the biggest port on the western tip
\nof Java.<\/p>\n
The latest jam blocked the ports during the Christmas holidays
\nlast December after eight ferries were docked for repairs and
\nanother two had expired licenses. Thousands of passengers waiting
\nfor ferry services had to walk 15 kilometers to the port.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Transportation sent ships and the Navy sent
\nthree warships to ease the massive congestion at Merak ferry
\nport.<\/p>\n
Passengers have another choice, speed boats four times faster
\nthan regular ferries. It takes speed boats 30 minutes to reach
\nMerak, allowing passengers to save one and a half hours.<\/p>\n
Officers<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Central Java Police plan to deploy 14,000
\nofficers throughout the province to maintain order during the
\nholidays. They will start on Jan. 30 and end on Feb. 20.<\/p>\n
Chief of the provincial police, Maj. Gen. Harimas A.S., said
\nyesterday his personnel would also be posted to all spots prone
\nto accidents, traffic jams, landslides and floods.<\/p>\n
Harimas said the police would set up emergency posts along the
\nnorthern route, ready to help anyone 24 hours a day. They will
\ninclude medical employees, whose services will be free of charge.<\/p>\n
Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto has predicted
\nthat the northern route through Java, locally known as Pantura,
\nwould be the busiest with 150,000 vehicles passing a day during
\nthe holiday season.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, West Java, the provincial police are organizing a
\nfour-day course for drivers to improve discipline on the streets
\nand reduce accidents during the holiday season.<\/p>\n
The police recorded 187 accidents claiming 114 lives and
\ninjuring 360 people during the holiday season stretching 10 days
\nbefore and after Idul Fitri last year.<\/p>\n
In Aceh, the holiday exodus is expected to involve 500,000
\npeople.<\/p>\n
Secretary of Aceh Police's traffic directorate, Lt. Col. Surya
\nDislan, said yesterday the exodus would peak either on Feb. 8 or
\nFeb. 9.<\/p>\n
Antara reported yesterday bus tickets for departures from
\nBanda Aceh to Medan, North Sumatra before Feb. 7 had already sold
\nout.<\/p>\n
Aceh's transportation office said 364 buses owned by 16
\ncompanies would be eligible to serve passengers leaving for North
\nSumatra. The fleet will carry up to 11,000 people a day. (amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/transportation-problems-on-increase-prior-to-idul-fitri-1447893297",
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