Returning traffic to increase today
Returning traffic to increase today
JAKARTA (JP): The number of passengers from various provinces returning to Jakarta will intensify today and tomorrow, officers of the Directorate General of Land Transportation predict.
"Current data shows that the number of returning passengers will increase today. We estimate it will peak tomorrow and Sunday," Robin P., an officer in charge of the city bus stations told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
The directorate had not received complete data on the number of passengers yesterday, Robin said, adding that estimation on today's influx was based on existing data.
The first group of about 95,000 passengers from various provinces arrived in Jakarta on Thursday, the first day after the Idul Fitri holidays, he said.
The directorate organized a 24-hour post for traffic control during the Idul Fitri season with those manning it representing the Land Transportation Agency, state railway company Perumka, and those in charge of sea transportation.
Representatives from the police department and ham radio organizations such as RAPI will also supply information on traffic conditions.
Officers agreed yesterday that based on information they received, the number of passengers returning to the capital city from various parts of the country can be expected to reach its peak today and tomorrow.
"The number is expected to surge tomorrow and Sunday as offices will be doing business on Monday," Saleh Puradirja of Perumka said.
He said data showed that about 65,000 returning passengers arrived at various railway stations in Jakarta on Thursday.
Additional buses
To anticipate the influx of returning passengers today and tomorrow, the state-run passenger transport companies PPD and DAMRI have put on stand-by an additional 215 buses in Central Java, Antara reported yesterday.
Some 95 PPD buses are ready to carry passengers from Tegal, Central Java, while 120 DAMRI buses from Surabaya, Semarang and Bandung are ready to take passengers from Central and East Java.
PPD operated more than 600 buses to transport some 37,000 passengers to various cities in Central Java prior to the Idul Fitri holidays this year, the company's public relations officer, Khamin Busro, said.
Meanwhile, Merpati Nusantara Airlines is adding 20 extra flights from yesterday until March 3, serving flights to and from Jakarta.
"We will be ready to operate more flights in case there is an unexpected surge in the number of returning passengers," Merpati's Head of Public Relations Tondo Widodo said.(03)