We hope travelers would be able to safeguard their safety ..."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani reviewed the flows of post-fasting Eid al-Fitr or Lebaran travelers in three points in the Trans Java Toll Road on Sunday.

"We are here now to see the flow of Lebaran travelers who are going home (celebrate Lebaran festivities), particularly those who are departing from Jakarta to West Java, Central Java and East Java," Maharani said at the Cikopo Toll Road Gate, West Java, in a press release on Sunday.

The coordinating minister reviewed and monitor the flows of travelers at the Cikopo Police Station (W Java), Panurukan Rest Area of Brebes (C Java0 and Kertasari Toll Gate (C Java) and Rest Area KM 575 Ngale Paron, Ngawi (E Java).

Base on her monitoring, the minister claimed that she still could see dense flows of vehicles from Jakarta to Bekasi and from Bekasi to the main toll gate in Cikarang.

She hoped that security officers would continue to make anticipation and help smooth the flows of traffic.

"The government has provided a long Lebaran holiday and a long leave, as one of its efforts to anticipate the dense flow of Lebaran travelers. We hope travelers would be able to safeguard their safety, to be in orderly manner and be happy," she said.

This year, it is estimated that more than 19.5 million people will return home to have family or friend reunions and to celebrate the festivities after fasting for one month.

The D-Day of the Lebaran festivities this yeear will fall on June 15-16, 2018.

The Transportation Ministry has predicted that the number of Eid al-Fitr or Lebaran travelers will increase by 27.77 percent to 12.24 million, while those traveling via public transportation will also increase by 5.17 percent to 19.5 million.

Expert Staff of the Transportation Minister for Logistics, Multimedia and Safety Affairs Cris Kuntadi said in Jakarta that the drastic increase in people traveling via private vehicles will be seen most among those who own two-wheelers.

In 2017, approximately 6.97 million people used two-wheelers. This year, it is predicted there will be 8.52 million people using two-wheelers or up 33.3 percent.

"Mudik with two-wheelers is not safe, so we do not recommend people returning home via motorcycles," said Kuntadi.

There are several free modes of transportation for those coming home, such as free rides via trains, where the motorcycles of travelers will be transported by trains for free, and travelers will only have to pay for the train tickets.

(Reported Aditya Ramadhan/Uu.A014)

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Editor: Priyambodo RH
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