9m vehicles to crowd C. Java

SEMARANG: At least 9 million vehicles would drive down Central Java streets during the upcoming Idul Fitri holiday season, a police official said on Monday.

Director of Central Java's Traffic Police, Sr. Comr. Bambang Purwoko, said the vehicles would comprise the province's 4.5 million vehicles plus 3 million from Jakarta and the remaining 1.5 million from East and West Java.

"We have ordered all officers to watch routes that are prone to congestion, accidents, landslides and floods to ensure smooth traffic," Bambang said.

In their work, the police will be assisted by the Indonesian Military and civilians, numbering around 18,000 people. The officers will be equipped with 652 vehicles, including helicopters and 30 tow-trucks.

At this time of the year, he said, traffic accidents usually took place from the hours of midnight to 6 a.m. when drivers were tired and sleepy. -- JP