Government Mobilises Multimodal Transport to Ensure Smooth Eid al-Fitr Mudik for 1447 AH

The government is preparing a layered transport architecture to safeguard the movement of millions of mudik travellers for Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah. Minister of Transport Dudy Purwagandhi stressed that the cross-modal free mudik programme is not merely a social service but a strategic instrument to dampen congestion of private vehicles, particularly motorcycles, on the main national corridors. ‘We hope that by providing these facilities, at least we will reduce motorcycle use on the roads,’ he said in Jakarta on Friday night. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Transport, public enthusiasm for the programme is significant. Registration of motorcycle transport by trucks has absorbed 172 units from a quota of 240 motorcycles. Meanwhile the Motis service, free motorcycle transport by train, recorded 9,529 registrants from a total quota of 11,900 motorcycles, with 18,382 passengers registered from a capacity of 28,196 seats. The free mudik programme using buses is nearly full: 15,550 registrants from a quota of 15,834 seats as of Thursday (5/3). For sea routes, the quota opened for 69,232 passengers across all Indonesian routes, with 5,933 people registered on the first day of opening, Friday (6/3). In the aviation sector, the government stimulus in the form of discounted tickets is beginning to show tangible effects. Domestic flight tickets for the period 13–29 March 2026 have sold 1,767,574 seats. The top three routes by demand are Jakarta–Denpasar, Jakarta–Medan, and Jakarta–Padang, reflecting the urban diaspora patterns anchored in big cities. The Ministry of Transport projects Lebaran passenger movements total around 143.9 million, down 1.7 percent from the previous year’s 146.4 million. The peak mudik flow is expected on 16 and 18 March, in line with a work-from-anywhere policy approved by President Prabowo Subianto to distribute travel load. For the return flow, WFA is proposed to apply on 25, 26, and 27 March after Idul Fitri holidays. Regionally, responses to central policies are being implemented concretely. The Government of Central Kalimantan Province has prepared 17 buses for six routes from Palangka Raya to Sampit, Pangkalan Bun, Pangkoh, Buntok, Muara Teweh, and Banjarmasin. Total capacity 535 passengers, with departures scheduled between 14 and 18 March 2026. ‘Gubernur Kalteng Agustiar Sabran wants the provincial government to again be present to accompany the community during Lebaran,’ said Head of the Central Kalimantan Department of Transportation Yulindra Dedy in Palangka Raya. In South Sulawesi, the Department of Public Works and Construction (DBMBK) prioritises fortifying provincial road infrastructure. South Sulawesi DBMBK head Andi Ihsan said this at a Sectoral Coordination Meeting for Operation Ketupat 2026, a cross-agency forum based on Law No. 2 of 2002 on the Police and the Inspector General of Police telegram dated 23 February 2026. ‘This meeting is an important moment to ensure Eid al-Fitr preparations proceed in a coordinated manner and continue to guarantee the continuity of public services,’ Andi Ihsan said. Minister Dudy closed with optimism, emphasising that the success of Lebaran transport hinges on synergy between ministries, local governments, and transport operators. ‘I am optimistic that people’s movement during the Eid holiday can be safe, comfortable, and controlled,’ he said.