46 bus firms found jacking up fares

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Communications Giri Suseno said on Sunday 46 bus companies violated the fixed 35 percent increase in Idul Fitri fares in the five days after the post-Ramadhan fasting month holiday.

"We will coordinate these findings with the Directorate General of Land Transportation to take firm action to those violators, by revoking their bus permits," the minister said in a visit to the Gilimanuk-Ketapang crossing point, about 70 kilometers west of Denpasar, Bali.

He urged passengers to report jacked-up prices to bus terminal officials, Antara reported.

Passenger safety had been maintained, he said, due to fine coordination between security forces, the ministry's personnel and other parties.

"Police and members of the Armed Forces are continuing to watch over journeys to assure people's safety. As for sea trips, we are placing one marine on each ship.'

Giri said traffic accidents declined 67 percent in the five days after Idul Fitri compared to the same period last year. Idul Fitri, marked by a huge exodus of people from major cities to provincial hometowns, fell last Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Sunday, at a teenager died and another was injured when they fell from the roof of a train car in Bandung, West Java.

Beni, 17, of Cijalu Cikampek village reportedly hit his head when the train passed under a bridge in Pasir Kaliki, Bandung. His friend Johny, 13, also sustained head injuries.

As of Sunday, it was reported that 17,390 people traveled along the Ketapang-Gilimanuk crossing point, a drop of 15 percent from 19,507 last year.

There was an increase in private cars, shown with a 5 percent jump in the number of four-wheeled vehicles.

In Purwokerto, Central Java, as of Sunday a total of 24,459 people had left by train to Jakarta.

According to the head of the state railway company here, Masduki Ahmad, the number far surpassed the 20,120 last year. Most were economy class passengers.

Up to Sunday afternoon, 29 people underwent treatment at the medical post at Purwokerto's train station.

Three were injured after being jammed in train doors, one fell out of a packed car and two were hit by stones thrown at the Gombong train-crossing.

"Thank God everybody lived. We were able to take care of the injured ones," Masduki said. (edt/45/43)