Govt starts preparations for massive Idul Fitri transport

JAKARTA (JP): The government has begun preparing the massive transport arrangements required for February's Idul Fitri holidays when over 21 million travelers are expected to use public transport.

Transport officials say only bus operators will be allowed to raise their fares for the period of 16 days before, during and after the Idul Fitri days of Feb. 9 and 10.

Director General of Land Transportation Santo Budiono said in a hearing with the House of Representatives that bus operators would be allowed to raise their fares by 25 percent during that period.

Santo made the remarks at a hearing with the House Commission V on transportation, tourism, telecommunications and public works.

"Bus operators are also allowed to carry 10 percent more cargo during the 16-day period. We will take action against recalcitrant operators," he said.

He said 38,500 buses would be in service to transport some 1.1 million people every day.

He said trains and ferries are allowed to carry 50 percent and 30 percent more cargo respectively during the busy period.

The 1996 Idul Fitri transport arrangements were marred by illegal fare hikes. Critics blamed it on the lack of coordination by government agencies.

"In Jakarta alone, we will deploy 3,300 buses with a total of 167,000 seats. Four days before Idul Fitri will be the peak of the exodus in the city with some 163,500 people traveling every day," he said.

He said the state-owned railway company, Perumka, will make available some 154 trains with 169,000 seats per day.

To carry people between Java and Sumatra, the government is going to deploy 31 ferries, he said.

The fleet will be able to transport 159,000 passengers and 13,300 vehicles during the holiday season compared to the 100,000 passengers and 8,500 vehicles transported during Idul Fitri this year.

He said the government has set up four special teams to organize traffic in the busiest places in southern Sumatra and West Java.

Director General of Sea Transportation Soentoro told the Commission yesterday that the state-owned oceanliner will deploy 17 vessels with a total carrying capacity of 568,750 passengers.

Pelni, the state-owned shipping company, will operate the 500- passenger Pangrango in the Jakarta-Semarang route. Private firms will operate 232 ships with a total of capacity 29,550 passengers per day. There are also 36 smaller ships with a capacity of 6,100 passengers per day, he said.

He said Pelni and private firms will operate 15 and 31 cargo vessels respectively.

Meanwhile, Director General of Air Transportation Zainuddin Sikado said the number of air passengers will increase between 15 percent and 25 percent during the 1997 Idul Fitri holidays. (icn)