Terminals and bus stations normalize

Terminals and bus stations normalize

JAKARTA (JP): Conditions at city bus terminals and railway stations are expected to return to normal soon as the number of the Idul Fitri travelers arriving in Jakarta from their hometowns began to decrease yesterday.

Polma Tobing, an officer of the city's Land and Transport Control Agency, said 72,414 Jakartans arrived from their hometowns in 1,578 buses as of yesterday afternoon.

"This is a significant decrease when compared to Sunday's influx," Tobing said.

He said more than one million Jakartans had arrived back in town by bus by Sunday midnight.

He said the peak of the influx happened on Sunday midnight with the arrival of 112,707 Jakartans, in 1,787 buses at the terminal.

"We provide the buses operating round-the-clock," Abdul Hakim, head of the Pulo Gadung terminal, told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

Most of the travelers decided to stay at the terminal because they were afraid to travel after midnight, he added.

B.A. Simatupang, head of Rawamangun terminal which serves passengers going to Sumatra, said the had no difficulties with the influx because most of the buses arrived in the afternoon.

Azmili Mukmi, an officer of the Director General of Land Transportation, confirmed that the traffic situation on Java's northern coast route was back to normal.

"There hasn't been many problems with the returning passengers, the condition was much better than it was before the holidays," he said.

Only one major accident has been reported so far, he said.

A bus, a pickup and a motorcycle collided yesterday in Ciloto, killing three people on board the pickup and injuring the person on the motorcycle.

"We haven't received detailed information on the accident," Azmili said.

Data from the directorate office shows that up until Sunday, the number of returning passengers through railway stations and Tanjung Priok harbor was 176,300 and 175,800 people respectively. (04/03)