Eid will always be accompanied by a long holiday, and those who do not celebrate Eid, also enjoy the long holiday by vacationing out of town.
The overwhelming flow of passengers and vehicles out of Jakarta by road, either by private vehicles or public vehicles to various areas of Java and Bali, can certainly cause extraordinary congestion.
The National Traffic Police Corps (Korlantas), as the party directly responsible for preventing congestion, has prepared a number of steps, and one of the most well-known actions is the implementation of a one-way toll road system from KM29 Cikarang Utama Toll Gate to West Brebes Toll Gate KM262.
"We have already monitored it and we have made sure it is possible," said Chief of the National Traffic Police Corps Inspector General Refdi Andri, when visiting the West Brebes Toll Gate KM262 on Friday.
To ensure that a one-way toll road system can be used at the peak of the homecoming and backflow this year, Refdi Andri, held a three-day test of the Trans Java Toll Road along the Jakarta-Semarang-Surabaya-Banyuwangi-Denpasar Route.
Anti-jam Operation
In the review, Refdi Andri, said that anticipating congestion was the focus of the Ketupat Operation 2019.
"The 2019 Ketupat operation is correct in trying to anticipate congestion," he said at the West Brebes Toll Gate on Friday.
At the peak of the homecoming, a one-way system will be put in place from May 30, 2019 until June 2, 2019. While the peak of the return flow will be carried out from June 7 to June 9, 2019.
Refdi said the trial of a one-way system will be carried out on May 30 and is expected to provide an overview of the results of the system's implementation.
He also said it would deploy personnel as needed, so that the movement from Semarang to Jakarta, and vice versa, was not disturbed by the current engineering.
After reviewing the GT West Brebes KM262, Refdi, along with the staff, continued the review and then paused to break the fast at Rest Area KM575 Tol Jombang-Mojokerto, Ngawi, East Java.
On that occasion, Refdi told the media that the location was a fatigue point for travelers going to East Java and Bali, while advising drivers to rest.
"This point is not a fatigue point, this is a happy point. The point that made drivers better after their rest, let alone continue the journey after breaking the fast," he said at the Rest Area KM 575, Ngawi, East Java.
He also asked drivers not to lose their concentration while driving on the Trans Java Toll Road.
"Drivers must be extra careful in the afternoon. Why in the afternoon? Because the atmosphere in the afternoon includes a lot of sights on the left and right that can be enjoyed," he added.
Ketapang-Gilimanuk Knot
General Manager (GM) of ASDP Ketapang-Gilimanuk, Fahmi Alweni, said that his party will increase the number of fleets and personnel alerted to prevent the buildup of passengers who will travel.
"We have prepared as many as 56 fleets, operating as many as 32 units per day, with 24 standby vessels," Fahmi Alweni said, in Ketapang Port, Banyuwangi, East Java, on Saturday.
In addition to the reserve vessels, PT ASDP will also increase the number of operational jetties to seven jetties, along with seven reserve docks.
Fahmi also said that the company will add a counter to anticipate passenger lines with details of 10 counters in Ketapang and 11 Gilimanuk counters.
This is in line with the focus of the 2019 Ketupat Operation to anticipate congestion, because at that node Ketapang-Gilimanuk Port is the main port that connects Java and Bali to be sure to face a surge in passengers during the homecoming and returning of Eid 2019.
"This year's prediction for passengers has a 5 percent increase for passengers with two-wheeled vehicles and four-wheelers are predicted to rise 15 percent," Fahmi said.
This prediction is based upon a number of factors, including sea freight tickets, which are much cheaper than air, and the opening of the Cross Java Toll Road.
"Tickets (planes) are quite expensive, as is baggage. I'm sure passengers will switch to sea transportation," Fahmi said.
Inspector General Refdi praised the preparedness of the Ketapang-Gilimanuk ASDP in the success of the Ketupat Operation 2019.
The Ketapang-Gilimanuk Port looks like it has been managed in a way that it is expected to be comfortable for the community, as long as the flow back and forth becomes more manageable.
Ketapang-Gilimanuk Port is estimated to be able to handle some 500 thousand people, with a peak at D-2 or D-3 Eid.
After conducting a review at the port, the National Traffic Police Corps and the group then traveled to Denpasar and arrived at the city at 21.00 WITA.
In two days the team traveled some 1,200 kilometers, which is considered an exceptional journey.
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
