Traffic arrangements to shorten trip home

Wahyuana and Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Bekasi/Jakarta

Agus Mahmud had planned to spend seven hours on the Jakarta- Cikampek toll road, and 20 hours in total, most of it in heavy traffic, to reach his hometown Yogyakarta for Idul Fitri on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15.

But to his and other holidaymakers' relief, toll road operator PT Jasa Marga has announced that it will make special traffic arrangements on the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road to cut the time travelers will have to spend on the road.

For the four days before and the day after Idul Fitri, the toll road will be open only to people traveling from Jakarta to West Java, Central Java and East Java via Subang.

Vehicles entering Jakarta via the toll road will have to take an alternative route from Karawang, which will take them through the Kota Bukit Indah housing estate and back onto the toll road at the Kalihurip toll gate.

"We are making these arrangements in anticipation of a 150 percent jump in the number of motorists on the toll road compared to normal days," said A. Tito Karim, head of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road operator.

The 76-kilometer toll road is the main route connecting Jakarta with other areas.

Tito said that on regular days more than 200,000 vehicles used the road, while in the days before and after Idul Fitri that number can reach up to 380,000.

Those people going to Bandung and Purwakarta for the holiday have been advised to take the Sadang II toll road, which is still under construction.

"The line will only be open for the seven days before and the day after the holiday. Only small vehicles such as minibuses, cars and jeeps will be allowed on the road. Big vehicles are forbidden," Tito said.

In other holiday news, the Jakarta Police plan to increase their patrols of residential areas, where many houses will be left vacant by owners returning to their hometowns for Idul Fitri.

The police also will increase their patrols of toll roads in Greater Jakarta, including the Cikampek, Cikarang and Jatibening toll roads, as well as the toll road to Soekarno-Hatta airport.

"Subprecinct police stations in residential areas will coordinate with community and neighborhood unit heads in securing the areas," city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said.

Concerned by the possibility of bombings, police said they planned to step up security throughout the capital during Idul Fitri.

"We will beef up security from Nov. 7 until 15 days after the holiday," Tjiptono said. "We will deploy 18,000 personnel, some of whom will guard the city around the clock."

Police are also prepared to guard houses of worship and schools for non-Muslims, mainly in Bekasi, Tangerang and Ciputat in South Jakarta.

Officers also will be deployed at bus terminals, railway stations, seaports, airports and other locations crowded with holiday travelers before and after Idul Fitri.

"We will also deploy personnel at trade centers and shopping malls, particularly before the holiday," Tjiptono said.