National Police Chief Calls for Increased Preparedness Ahead of Mudik Peak Season

Patrols in areas surrounding terminals and stations, including abandoned residential areas and potential crime hotspots, must continue to be anticipated, said Sigit following an inspection of rail mudik services at Gubeng Station in Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday.

According to him, this enhanced preparedness is necessary to anticipate potential disruptions to public security and order at various crowded points and residential areas vacated by mudik travellers.

On this occasion, the National Police Chief also ensured that readiness and services at Gubeng Station in Surabaya have operated as expected. The National Police Chief engaged directly with officers and passengers to assess field service conditions.

“According to post reports, there has been an increase of approximately 11 percent in passenger numbers compared to normal days,” he said.

Additionally, the National Police Chief confirmed that the government’s ticket discount policy has been implemented for economy-class rail passengers. According to him, Gubeng Station currently operates for nearly 24 hours to serve public mobility from various regions, for both local and long-distance journeys across Java.

“Some passengers we met arrived from outside the city, even from East Nusa Tenggara and Kalimantan, and then utilised Gubeng Station for travel to various regions such as Central Java, West Java, and Jakarta,” he said.

In addition to inspecting station activities, the National Police Chief also examined the readiness of an integrated command post equipped with health services and an online ticketing system to facilitate members of the public who wish to travel.

Furthermore, he added that regarding the national projection of mudik numbers, a survey by the Transport Ministry showed a slight decrease compared to the previous year; however, all parties have been requested to prepare various contingency scenarios.

“According to the Transport Ministry survey, there is indeed a decrease from approximately 145 million to 143 million mudik travellers; however, we must not underestimate this, so all preparedness must still be maintained,” said Sigit.