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)