Thousands stranded as exodus intensifies
Thousands stranded as exodus intensifies
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of people failed to get out of the city as the Idul Fitri exodus gained momentum yesterday.
Although additional trains and buses were deployed to take home the Idul Fitri revelers, they were barely sufficient as thousands of people jostled and fought for every inch available on buses and trains leaving Jakarta yesterday.
Chaos was the word of the day at the Senen and Gambir railways stations as well as at the city's main bus terminals.
At Senen station, impatient passengers heading for Surabaya filled every part of the afternoon train, some even settling for the rancid toilets, rather than wait for the evening train.
Ticket hawkers, as usual, were running thriving rackets.
A parking attendant at the Gambir station was offering tickets on the Jayabaya train to Surabaya at Rp 70,000 for an economy seat, compared to the official price of only Rp 27,000. He had no problem finding takers.
In the Pulogadung bus terminal, which caters to destinations in Sumatra, Java and Bali, thousands of people were stuck because there weren't enough buses going to all the destinations.
The security officers deployed to ensure order were left powerless.
Each time a bus arrived at the terminal, virtually everybody pushed their way into the bus, some joining the rush not really knowing whether it was the right bus for their destination.
The first aid centers set up at bus terminals were also kept busy. Some people collapsed, but most sought relief from mild colds.
A number of cabinet ministers inspected the proceedings, and, needless to say, spouted their official messages.
State Minister of Population Haryono Suyono, for example, was at Senen railway station to remind homeward bound people not to abandon family planning practices during the holiday.
The National Family Planning Board has set up booths at railway and bus stations ready to dispense subsidized contraceptives to revelers. Similar booths have been set up at the other end to provide free condoms.
"Don't go wild just because the fasting month will end soon," Haryono joked with some passengers.
Minister of Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto, who was also at Senen terminal, insisted that despite the chaos raging around him, the departures were more orderly than previous years.
Officials estimate that more than three million of Jakarta's nine million people will leave the city during Idul Fitri this year. In addition to Moslems celebrating Idul Fitri on Tuesday, Indonesians of Chinese descent are marking the Lunar New Year on Monday.
Most of the ethnic Chinese are headed overseas, with all flights to Beijing, Singapore and Taipei being fully booked this weekend.
Meanwhile, truck drivers protested yesterday at the Merak ferry terminal, the crossing point to Sumatra, because the port authority was giving passenger cars priority over trucks.
Around 500 trucks had been held up, some apparently carrying perishable meat.
Relief for the truck drivers came when Director General for Land Transportation Soejono visited the site and ordered the port authority to allow the trucks on the ferry.
Motorists faced hazardous slippery roads as the rain continued to pound many parts of Java yesterday.
Roads in the southern parts of Central Java were inundated by one meter of water since Thursday night, but traffic was back to normal by yesterday morning, Suara Pembaruan reported.
The exodus will continue today and tomorrow, officials said. 04/01/anr/byi)
Editorial -- Page 4