Traffic flow returns to normal at Bakauheni port
Traffic flow returns to normal at Bakauheni port
Oyos Saroso, The Jakarta Post, Bakauheni, Lampung
Activities at Bakauheni port in Sumatra were normal on Monday
with only a minor traffic jam at the nearby resort area of Pasir
Putih in Lampung as motorists began to leave their hometowns to
return to cities in Java.
The four-kilometer-long traffic jam was primarily caused by
the large number of Lampung residents visiting the coastal
resort.
Hasan Aldin, head of transportation company PT Angkutan
Sungai, Danau, dan Penyeberangan (PT ASDP) at Bakauheni port,
said Monday that his office was operating 21 ferries and 12 speed
boats.
"The flow of traffic from and to Sumatra is better than last
year," Aldin said, even with an increase of 7 percent in the
number of travelers.
He added that the capability of his office in operating
ferries has prevented a long queue to the port.
A total of 287,359 people have crossed the Sunda Straits since
seven days before Idul Fitri on Dec.6, 2002. In the same period
last year, the number of travelers reached 266,235.
Aldin added that the number of people who have crossed the
strait between Lampung and Banten had reached 24,000 as of 2:00
p.m. on Monday. It is estimated that the number will increase to
50,000 by midnight on Tuesday. Data from the transport office
confirmed the increase in the number of people crossing from
Merak, Banten, to Bakauheni.
In contrast to last year, the flow of traffic along Sumatra's
main roads was smoother this year. Minor traffic jams occurred in
a few areas, mainly at the Layang Natar flyover, railroad
crossings and at traditional markets, but generally the situation
was normal.
A fatal accident occurred on a major motorway 5 kilometers
north of Bakauheni on Saturday, in which four people were killed
when a truck carrying steel plates hit a restaurant. The victims
were residents in a village close to the seaport.
A number of motorists have expressed concerns about the
condition of the roads.
"In some places, the road was slick with mud. Fortunately,
there was no landslide," said Rohadi, a traveler from Medan
heading for Jakarta. He also regretted the levies imposed on
motorists by residents who live near the damaged roads.
Meanwhile, a total of four teenagers drowned on Saturday when
swimming off the coast of Terbaya in Kotaagung district,
Tanggamus regency, as part of their Idul Fitri celebrations.
Three of the teenagers, Mujiono, 17, Purwanto, 18, and Eko,
18, were residents of Pekon Sinar Agung in Pulaupanggung,
Tanggamus. Sal Sabilah drowned off the Marina coast in West
Lampung.
The teenagers were swept away so quickly that coast guards
were unable to save them. The bodies of Mujiono and Purwanto were
found a few hours later on Saturday, while Eko's body was found
on Sunday.
Despite warnings from authorities in the resort area, the four
went swimming in the coastal waters, which are well-known for its
dangerous currents.
Oyos Saroso, The Jakarta Post, Bakauheni, Lampung
Activities at Bakauheni port in Sumatra were normal on Monday
with only a minor traffic jam at the nearby resort area of Pasir
Putih in Lampung as motorists began to leave their hometowns to
return to cities in Java.
The four-kilometer-long traffic jam was primarily caused by
the large number of Lampung residents visiting the coastal
resort.
Hasan Aldin, head of transportation company PT Angkutan
Sungai, Danau, dan Penyeberangan (PT ASDP) at Bakauheni port,
said Monday that his office was operating 21 ferries and 12 speed
boats.
"The flow of traffic from and to Sumatra is better than last
year," Aldin said, even with an increase of 7 percent in the
number of travelers.
He added that the capability of his office in operating
ferries has prevented a long queue to the port.
A total of 287,359 people have crossed the Sunda Straits since
seven days before Idul Fitri on Dec.6, 2002. In the same period
last year, the number of travelers reached 266,235.
Aldin added that the number of people who have crossed the
strait between Lampung and Banten had reached 24,000 as of 2:00
p.m. on Monday. It is estimated that the number will increase to
50,000 by midnight on Tuesday. Data from the transport office
confirmed the increase in the number of people crossing from
Merak, Banten, to Bakauheni.
In contrast to last year, the flow of traffic along Sumatra's
main roads was smoother this year. Minor traffic jams occurred in
a few areas, mainly at the Layang Natar flyover, railroad
crossings and at traditional markets, but generally the situation
was normal.
A fatal accident occurred on a major motorway 5 kilometers
north of Bakauheni on Saturday, in which four people were killed
when a truck carrying steel plates hit a restaurant. The victims
were residents in a village close to the seaport.
A number of motorists have expressed concerns about the
condition of the roads.
"In some places, the road was slick with mud. Fortunately,
there was no landslide," said Rohadi, a traveler from Medan
heading for Jakarta. He also regretted the levies imposed on
motorists by residents who live near the damaged roads.
Meanwhile, a total of four teenagers drowned on Saturday when
swimming off the coast of Terbaya in Kotaagung district,
Tanggamus regency, as part of their Idul Fitri celebrations.
Three of the teenagers, Mujiono, 17, Purwanto, 18, and Eko,
18, were residents of Pekon Sinar Agung in Pulaupanggung,
Tanggamus. Sal Sabilah drowned off the Marina coast in West
Lampung.
The teenagers were swept away so quickly that coast guards
were unable to save them. The bodies of Mujiono and Purwanto were
found a few hours later on Saturday, while Eko's body was found
on Sunday.
Despite warnings from authorities in the resort area, the four
went swimming in the coastal waters, which are well-known for its
dangerous currents.