Jakarta, May 21 (Antara) - 'Mudik' which means going hometown is the most popular word in Indonesia during the post-fasting Eid el-Fitr or Lebaran festivities.
Most urban dwellers, workers or traders in big cities originate from hometowns where they still have relatives, friends or even family members.
So, mudik to hometowns to have annual reunions with families or friends is a 'must' for them after they have performed fasting rituals during the Ramadan month.
Millions of Lebaran travelers usually pack home-bound public transportation like trains, buses, private cars, motorcycles and even airplanes. Especially on roads, traffic gridlocks are often inevitable in certain sections.
As Java is Indonesia's most crowded island, the government is giving special attention to transportation facilities in Java to serve Lebaran travelers. In order to facilitate home-bound exodus, the government has made adequate preparations to minimize traffic congestion.
Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said, for the flow of Lebaran travelers in 2018, his side has made adequate preparations and has coordinated with the relevant ministries and security forces.
"Thank God, we have done a good preparation, I have coordinated with the relevant ministers and the National Police chief," said Sumadi, after giving a Public Lecture at Gunung Jati Swadaya University, in Cirebon, West Java, on Sunday.
The government has prepared good infrastructure for travelers such as roads, both toll roads and national roads. Travelers can already use toll roads from Jakarta to Surabaya in East Java, although there are certain segments that are still under a functional condition (temporarily used during Lebaran exodus).
"The toll roads from Jakarta to Surabaya are good and can be used, although there are still some segments that use functional roads," said Minister Sumadi.
Minister Sumadi has also checked national roads other than toll roads. And everything is fine, he said. However, people who want to travel back and forth should pay attention to the condition of the vehicle in order to be safe until they reach their destinations. Those who want to go home for Lebaran must look at the readiness of their vehicles.
In addition, there should also be checking on vehicles such as buses, angkot (smaller urban transportation), trucks and other vehicles. Checks should primarily be made of vital vehicle components, such as brakes, tires, horns, mirrors and safety-related items.
"Ramp checks should include brakes, tires, horns, mirrors and others, because if these components are not good then vehicles could have an accident," said Sumadi.
Therefore the Ministry of Transport asked the Transportation Service and National Police to check travelers' vehicles. Cars that do not conduct ramp checks will be banned from operating
In the meantime, some Lebaran travelers will enjoy free-ride offered by several institutions like in previous years.
State-owned seaport operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia III (Pelindo III), for example offers free tickets to about 14 thousand travelers. This increase is two-folds compared with the free tickets it offered last year totaling six thousand passengers only.
Pelindo III operates 43 seaports scattered in seven provinces of East Java, Central Java, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.
"Last year, the enthusiasm of Lebaran passengers was quite high in utilizing the free homecoming program," said Pelindo III CEO Ari Askhara in Surabaya on Sunday.
He said, free homecoming program is a representation of the state's concern in providing comfort and ease transportation for travelers going home.
With the evaluation of year's implementation, Pelindo III raised the target number of free homecoming passengers by cooperating with other state-owned enterprises (SOEs), such as state-owned shipping lines PT Pelni as the provider of sea transportation mode and state firm Perum Damri as the provider of land transportation mode.
"We hope that the people of Indonesia can see and feel the presence of SOEs which always work in synergy in giving the best for the country," he said.
The 14 thousand free tickets will be allocated to 1,700 Lebaran travelers using ships departing through Kumai Port or Sampit Port in Central Kalimantan with the destinations of Semarang (Central Java) and Surabaya (East Java).
The other 12,300 will be allocated to passengers arriving at Tanjung Perak Port (Surabaya) and Tanjung Emas Harbor (Semarang) and intending to continue their journeys by bus to several cities in East Java and Central Java.
Corporate Secretary of Pelindo III Faruq Hidayat said for free bus trip, Pelindo III prepares 260 trips. "Some 150 trips will depart from Tanjung Perak Port and 110 trips from Tanjung Emas Port," he said.
He said Pelindo III along with Perum Damri deployed 15 buses in Tanjung Perak Port 10 buses in Tanjung Emas Port.
"From the Port of Tanjung Perak, the 15 buses will depart to five cities which are the final destinations: Jember, Madiun, Trenggalek, Cepu and Blitar, while ten buses from Tanjung Emas Port will go to 7 destinations, namely: Yogyakarta, Rembang, Wonosobo, Purworejo, Solo, Purwodadi, and Tegal," he said.
Buses will stop in a number of cities that are part of the route of each trip.
"Until Thursday (May 17), Pelindo III has received 1.540 applicants for free passengers using ships. For travelers willing to use buses, Pelindo III has registered 1,514 persons," he said.
The current Ramadan fasting month will end on June 14, 2018. The government has stipulated ten days for Lebaran holidays, from June 11 to June 20, 2018. ***4***
(A014/H-YH)(T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 21-05-2018 22:18: |
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