GOVT READY TO SERVE 27 MILLION IDUL FITRI TRAVELERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 12 (ANTARA) - In the face of next week's exodus of about 27 million home-bound Indul Fitri travelers, the government said it was now ready to provide services for the revelers with the focus on three main things - security, safety and comfort.

        In order to ensure its readiness to cope with the Idul Fitri ' exodus, the government held a coordination meeting among the relevant agencies on Friday.

        "In general, the meeting concluded that the government is now ready to provide the transportation services for Idul Fitri travelers this year," acting chief economic minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said.

        The preparations made included transportation facilities and infrastructures, provision of basic necessaries, fuel, security and the comfortable travel conditions. The focus of the transportation services is given to 10 provinces. All government agencies must therefore be responsible for their respective main duties.

        Ministries and other agencies involved included the ministry of public works, the ministry of transportation, the ministry of health, the ministry of informatics and communications, the meteorology, climatology and geophysics office, the Indonesian consumers institute, the organization of land transportation owners and others.

        With concerted efforts, the minister is convinced that transportation services this year would be better than that of last year. The president hoped that at least three factors would be met this year, namely security, safety and comfortableness of travelers.

        According to Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal, the number of Idul Fitri travelers this year is estimated at 27.25 million, of which 16.2 million will use various public transportation modes while the remaining 11.2 million will use private cars and motor cycles.

        In order to accommodate travelers' complaints, Minister Sri Mulyani asked the ministry of informatics and communications to provide an SMS center.

        "I asked that the SMS center is made in one number so that travelers who are confused could lodge their complaints, reports or other things with regard to Idul Fitri transportation services," the minister said.

        She said that the integrated SMS center was intended to accommodate travelers' complaints or reports that could be responded to immediately by the relevant agencies.

        "So far, the transportation ministry has an integrated Idul Fitri transportation command post while the same post also existed with the police. This is confusing," she said. Therefore, she said, one SMS center was enough which would be made public in one or two days ahead.

        In the meantime, as part of the efforts to provide security and comfort for travelers, Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal inspected the readiness of Lampung province's Rajabasa bus terminal in Sumatra on Sturday.

        "We hope that all bus terminal officials will increase cooperation with police in an effort to create security for the travelers," the minister said during his inspection at the terminal.

        The minister directly inspected the main terminal of Rajabasa which constitutes the biggest and main inter-city and inter-province bus station for Java and Sumatra in the province of Lampung.

        Lampung city police headquarters' chief Senior Commissioner Syauqi Ahmad told the minister that his side guaranteed a good coordination to ensure security for travelers. At least 829 police personnel would be stationed in the field to guard travelers.

        Apart from the minister, a group of legislators of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission V for transportation affairs also inspected on Saturday the Tanjungkarang train station in Lampung to see its preparations.

        Led by Riswan Tony, the legislators directly inspected the facilities and infrastructure of the train station. They also took a look at several train wagons, security posts and health centers which were being prepared to serve home-bound travelers.

        "We find that the readiness of the train station in serving passengers is already good enough," Riwan said. PT KA Spokesman for Tanjungkarang Zakaria said that his company had prepared seven additional wagons to anticipate Idul Fitri travelers' exodus next week.

        The same preparations were also made at Tanjung Priok bus terminal which constitutes the gateway of those using sea transportation services to Jakarta and other cities in Java. It prepared at least 50 additional inter-city buses to cater for post-fasting month or Idul Fitri travelers.

        ML Patikawa, chief of Group I of the Terminal, said the 50 additional buses would be made available in addition to the 150 buses which had been prepared to serve passengers bound for other cities in Java.

        On security, Patikawa said the terminal's authorities would tighten security measures. At least 40 police personnel would be deployed, with a health service team of 36 medical personnel, four ambulances and other officials.

        As regard to those willing to use air transportation, the government has prepared flight seating capacity at 30 percent in excess of the predicted number of travelers.

        According to Director General for Air Transportation Tri Sunoko, about 2.2 million airplane seats had been prepared. The seating capacity is 30 percent more than the number of Idul Fitri travelers expected to use air transportation services, namely 1.6 million.

        "So, there will be no problem with airplane seating capacity for Idul Fitri passengers," he said.***4*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/22:50/a014) (T.A014/A/A014/A/A014) 12-09-2009 22:53:44