Idul Fitri travellers risk traffic hazards
Yuli Tri Suwarni and ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Bandung/Surabaya
The Idul Fitri holiday in which millions of people will return to their hometowns in West Java and East Java this year, may be overshadowed by traffic congestion, accidents and natural disasters, especially landslides, warn police and local government officials.
Governments in both provinces have made the necessary preparations to ensure a smooth journey home for travellers.
In East Java province, the provincial police and the transportation office here are on high alert in areas prone to vehicular accidents and landslides.
The accident-prone areas, according to the authorities, are located along the north coast highway and the southern part of Java, particularly in Bangil, Pasuruan, Situbondo, Banyuwangi, Caruban, Madiun, Ngawi and Magetan.
The minister of transportation has even discouraged people from traveling in private cars on the north coast highway.
The precaution is necessary as drivers are inclined to speed along the lengthy and winding stretch of highway. "Integrated posts will manned by the police, transportation office, the Jasa Raharja state insurance company and several organizations concerned with the safety of travelers, to oversee the areas," deputy head of the East Java Transportation Office, Hari Sugiri, told The Jakarta Post recently.
Some 7.3 million people are expected to return home during Idul Fitri from various cities nationwide, especially Jakarta. There are 35 million people living in East Java.
Personnel manning the posts located in 38 regencies and mayoralties in East Java will inform road users about conditions on the roads. The police will also give more attention to travelers using motorcycles, as their numbers will probably rise drastically.
Another possible hazard is landslides. The transportation office has identified 15 danger points in East Java, due to the fact that there may be heavy rain during Idul Fitri. Among the areas prone to landslides are Babat, Bojonegoro, Caruban, Madiun, Ponorogo, Pacitan, Jember and Banyuwangi regencies.
In West Java province, the provincial government is preparing to face horrendous traffic congestion in the area, as millions of people are expected to travel through various roads in the province. More than three million travelers are estimated to be traveling throughout West Java overland, 1.3 million of them originating from cities in West Java alone.
The Ministry of Transportation has estimated that some 17 million people will be leaving for their hometowns from various places nationwide, mostly to the three provinces on Java island: West Java, Central Java and East Java.
In order to help tackle the imminent traffic congestion, the West Java Transportation Office will install closed circuit television systems in six points prone to traffic congestion in the area to inform personnel and road users of conditions on the roads.
Head of the West Java Transportation Office, Endang Sobirin, said the six areas where the system would be installed were Padalarang, Cileunyi, Nagrek, Kadipaten, Patrol and Palimanan.
The system, funded by the central government with assistance from the local Telkom office, will assist traffic police and the West Java Land Transportation Agency personnel in efforts to ease congestion and in rerouting traffic to alternative roads.