Extra buses ready for holidayers

Extra buses ready for holidayers

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Minister of Transportation
Haryanto Dhanutirto said here yesterday the government had
prepared 1,000 extra buses and trains for the anticipated 12
percent rise in the number of Idul Fitri travelers in Central
Java this year.

He said the extra buses and trains were arranged for
Yogyakarta, Semarang and Purworkerto.

The minister called on people to buy train tickets at official
windows and not from scalpers who manipulated prices.

Haryanto was inspecting ticketing services at the railway
station yesterday and met a passenger who bought a Rp 20,000
train ticket for Rp 27,000.

"This is an old problem which should have not have occurred
again," he said.

He said scalpers always seemed to find ways to operate despite
railway company preventative measures.

Central Java's railway operation office chief Singgih Abadi
denied officials in his office had colluded with scalpers and
said if they were they would be punished.

Scalpers often control the sale of plane, train and ship
tickets during holiday periods when demand for transport exceeds
supply.

After the inspection Haryanto said traffic had been smooth at
the sea crossings between Merak, West Java and Sumatra and
Gilimanuk, Bali and East Java.

He said the government had anticipated the sharp increase in
passenger traffic and prepared extra ferries including Navy
vessels. (wah/icn)