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)