Idul Fitri influx creates headache for city officials
Idul Fitri influx creates headache for city officials
JAKARTA (JP): There is no let up for harried transportation
officials, now dealing with an influx of Idul Fitri travelers
through the city's bus terminals and railway stations after the
logistical nightmare of an exodus in the past week.
On Wednesday, the second day of the Idul Fitri holiday, 42,670
people arrived at Pulogadung Bus Terminal, one of the city's
major intercity terminals.
Pulogadung data showed the passengers were transported in 777
buses from various cities of origin in Java and Sumatra.
The figure is sizably larger than the 25,676 recorded on the
second day of Idul Fitri last year.
It may have been due to passengers returning to work on
Thursday. Last year's Idul Fitri fell on a Friday and Saturday.
As of 2 p.m. on Thursday, another 2,380 passengers had arrived
in the city by 142 buses.
The peak of the influx is predicted for Saturday.
An estimated 2.6 million people left the city through its bus
terminals, train stations, Tanjung Priok Seaport and private
vehicles, Sjarin Toruan, head of the Jakarta Population Agency,
said on Thursday.
"The departure constituted a little less than one third of
Jakarta's 10 million residents," he said.
Despite the influx of people, thousands were at Pulogadung and
Gambir Railway Station on Thursday ready to begin their journeys
to hometowns.
Several people complained they were duped into buying tickets
for nonexistent services.
Ratih of Bekasi said she bought two tickets to Madura, East
Java, for Rp 211,000 from a man who identified himself as a bus
crew member from the Pahala Kencana company.
"When I reached here, not only did I find out that two bus
tickets to Madura cost Rp 204,000, the bus itself is not here.
"I don't understand what is going on. I have lost my Rp
211,000 for nothing. I bought the tickets from the man outside of
the terminal."
Ratih's friend, Ayu, also of Bekasi, purchased a ticket for an
air-conditioned bus to Surabaya for Rp 105,000, also from someone
claiming to be a crew member.
Like her hapless friend, she could not locate the bus.
"The crew member was someone from the Mawar bus firm. I don't
know what to do."
J.P. Sepang, head of the City Land Transportation Agency, said
he received many similar complaints.
"All we can do is just urge all passengers to buy bus tickets
in the terminal compound and not somewhere outside."
Meanwhile, hundreds of people were seen lined up at Gambir for
tickets to Surakarta, Central Java, and Bandung, West Java.
Zaenal Abidin, a spokesman for the Jakarta office of state-
owned railway company Perumka, said 650,321 people had left via
the city's eight railway stations during the Jan. 4 to Jan. 20
period.
Data is being compiled on the number of people entering the
city through the stations. (ylt)