FREE RIDE OFFERED TO IDUL FITRI MOTORIST TRAVELERS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 27 (Antara) - The government in cooperation with various parties will offer a free ride to motorists going home to celebrate post-fasting holiday of Lebaran (Idul Fitri) in 12 destination cities in Java and Sumatra.          The government's step to offer a free ride to motorists is part of its efforts to reduce road accidents during the Idul Fitri exodus.          Based on experience, the largest number of accidents during the Idul Fitri home-bound trips (Mudik) befall motorist travelers.          Like in past years, millions of people return home for a family reunion during the Idul Fitri festivities, which this year is expected to fall on August 8-9.  To reduce the number of traffic accidents involving Idul Fitri travelers, the government, in this case the Ministry of Transportation will offer a free ride to motorists through land and sea transportation.          The Ministry of Transportation said in a press statement this week that it would cooperate with different sides to prepare land and sea transportation modes for motorists. The ministry will mobilize trucks, train and ships.            For sea transportation which will carry motorcycles, the ministry will cooperate with state-owned shipping lines PT Pelni and the Navy. Pelni will use 'KM Dobonsolo' ship while the Navy will deploy 'KRI Banda Aceh' warship.          KM Dobonsolo has a capacity of transporting 1,700 motorcycles and 3,400 passengers while KRI Banda Aceh ship has a capacity of 1,000 motorcycles and 2,000 passengers. The two ships are expected to transport travelers and their motorcycles for free from Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta to Tanjung Emas port in Semarang, Central Java. It will conduct two trips, one is the departure to home-towns and the other trip is their return from towns to Jakarta.          For land transportation the Directorate General of Land Transportation will cooperate with, among others, state-owned PPD (Jakarta city buses) in offering a free ride to motorists. A special trucks will carry for free motorcycles leaving for 12 cities in Java and Sumatra.          The 12 destination cities are Lampung (Sumatra), Cirebon, Tegal, Magelang, Yogyakarta, Wonogiri, Tasikmalaya, Cilacap, Kebumen, Wonosobo, Purwokerto and Solo (Java).         The ministry of transportation has set a target in its free 'mudik' (traveling home) program to transport 2,050 motorcycles and 4,100 passengers.          A total of 34 trucks will be mobilized to transport motorcycles and 80 units of buses will carry their owners to respective destinations.          There is also cooperation with state-owned railway in organizing a free mudik proram. Through the train facility, some 2,400 motorcycles will be transported to the travelers' home towns and the same number will also be transported back to Jakarta again after the festivities.          Jakarta Police said some 1,725 buses have been made ready to  take people from Jakarta to various regions in West, Central and East Java in connection with the post-fasting holiday of Idul Fitri or Lebaran.          Fifteen companies have provided 1,725 buses to take the people home in a joint "mudik" program.          "Fifteen companies have taken part in the effort by providing 1,725 buses for people to travel home free of charge," Jakarta Police Spokesman Senior Commissioner Rikwanto said.          He said the program was made as part of efforts to reduce travelers by motorbikes and traffic accidents.          Based on schedule, the buses would leave Jakarta from July 31 to August 5. Buses would also take travelers westward to Lampung, Palembang, Padang and others in Sumatra.          Rikwanto said the buses would depart from several locations in the capital city.          Idul Fitri travelers from Central Kalimantan to other destinations will be served by two warships.          "Right now only two TNI (Indonesian Navy) warships will help serve homeward-bound travelers at Sampit port, Central Kalimantan. The substitute ships will be made ready to anticipate an exodus of homeward-bound travelers,"  the head of the East Kotawaringin district transportation, communication and informatics office,  Rustam Fuadi said.           The district administration has applied to the transport minister in Jakarta for extra ships to carry the rising number of travelers who are expected to reach their peak seven days before the Muslim holiday of Lebaran.          "The number of homeward-bound travelers this year is expected to increase sharply so the number of ship calls which reaches 17 is not enough and two more ship calls are needed," he said.           The number of Idul Fitri homeward-bound travelers leaving from the port for other cities in the country rose to 45,000 in 2012 from 32,000 in 2011.          "We have anticipated a surge in the number of travelers by among others applying for extra ships," he said.          In the meantime, security during the trip is an important thing travelers needed.          Thus, the Road Safety Association (RSA), a non-governmental organization urged all sides to provide security and convenience guarantee for travelers during their trips to their home-towns.          "We call on all stakeholders to make improvement, or to unite and hand in hand so that transportation safety and convenience for travelers could be guaranteed," RSA General Chairman Edo Rusyanto said on Friday.          He said that the matter was very important to be given attention to because the dead victims of road accidents during the Idul Fitri exodus reached 50 people per day, and about 70 percent of the accidents involved traveling motorists.          In the meantime, over 100 thousand police and military personnel will be mobilized to provide security during the Lebaran exodus. The National Police alone will field over 80,000 personnel.          National police chief General Timur Pradopo said he would field more than 88,000 personnel in the operation to assure security of holidaymakers during their travels home for the Islamic post-fasting holiday of Idul Fitri.          He said at the opening of a fast-breaking gathering here on Thursday the security operation would start seven days before and after the fall of the Islamic holiday early next month.          "We hope with your blessings the "Ketupat Operation 2013" would run well and successfully," he said.          President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on all government agencies on Thursday to prepare themselves to secure and serve Islamic post-fasting holidaymakers.          "Give them the best service," the president said when opening a cabinet meeting to discuss security and service preparations for the holiday.***4*** (T.A014/o001  ) (T.SYS/A/A. Abdussalam/O. Tamindael) 27-07-2013 08: