The exodus, which has become an annual tradition for Indonesian Muslims, has made the government extremely busy with preparing the facilities, infrastructures, transportation means and security measures for the people who would be on the move en masse.
In past years, there were reports of tragic accidents involving over-loaded cars, trains or ships carrying Idul Fitri or Lebaran travelers.
There were also reports about women and children who were stranded because they could not get vehicles or injured when trying to get into over-crowded trains or buses that would take them to their villages.
Based on data from an evaluation of last year`s Idul Fitri, there had been 1,519 traffic accidents claiming 342 lives, 461 people were seriously and 938 others lightly injured from Day-7 to Day+7 of Idul Fitri. The traffic accidents caused material losses estimated at Rp6 billion.
The government has been trying to improve the services for Idul Fitri travelers by making well-planned preparations long before the exodus begins, which usually starts from seven days before the post-fasting month Idul Fitri holiday, and lasts seven days afterward. This year`s Idul Fitri is expected to fall on August 30 or 31.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at a cabinet meeting discussing the government`s preparations for Idul Fitri home-bound trips, at the presidential office in Jakarta on Monday (Aug 22), stated that this year`s services must be better than last year`s.
"I know we have done many things, especially related ministers who are in charge of this matter. However, a week before Idul Fitri, we must make sure that our preparations are adequate and we can give the public the best possible services," the president said at the meeting.
Vice President Boediono inspected the Senen railway station in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (Aug 24) to personally see state railway company PT KAI`s services, and later took a helicopter to inspect Merak ferry port in Banten Province to monitor the flow of traffic from the air.
A total of 96,393 police personnel are being deployed to ensure public safety and enjoyable trips during the Muslim holiday exodus.
The number of this year`s Idul Fitri travelers, who are expected to travel by buses, trains, ships, airplanes, private cars and motorcycles, is estimated to reach 15.5 million , or an increase of 4.17 percent from that of last year`s 14.9 million.
In the fields, various regions have arranged their own security and safety measures for the home-bound goers.
At Merak ferry port, tens of bus drivers had to pass urine tests conducted by personnel of the Banten Seaport`s health office, before they were allowed to load their buses into ferries.
"The urine tests that we are conducted, are meant for the safety of passengers," said Erwin Hitlanka, a local official of the Merak harbor where thousands of people wanting to cross to Sumatra Island from Java.
Police in Pekalongan, Central Java, also conducted urine test on bus drivers at the city`s bus terminal to assure they are not under influence of drugs or alcohol.
Pekalongan police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Toni Harsono said no less than 50 inter-city and inter-province bus drivers had been tested.
"The test is done for assuring that the drivers are not consuming alcoholic drinks or narcotic drugs. This is important because they would carry passengers," he said.
Pekalongan police would take a harsh action against drivers found to have consumed alcoholic drinks and narcotic drugs while driving, he said.
Bus drivers in Aceh Province also have to undergo urine tests to know whether or not they consume alcoholic drinks before driving.
"Before leaving the bus terminals, all drivers should undergo the urine test" Muzakkir Tuloet, the head of the Banda Aceh office of transportation, communication and informatics division, said in Banda Aceh on Thursday (Aug 25).
In Bandarlampung, Lampung Province, around 100 personnel of police`s Mobile Brigade unit are deployed to guard railroads, trains and railway gates or barriers.
Lampung Police Chief Brig Gen Sulistyo Ishak said recently the police officers would be on guard for 24 hours a day to prevent looting of railraods` spare-parts such as bolts and iron, and traffic accidents usually involving cars crossing railway barriers carelessly.
Waykanan Police in Lampung Province, meanwhile, have put heavy equipment, a crane, two ambulances, and a fire truck on the standby on Sumatra Highway to anticipate traffic accidents or natural disaster such as landslides.
Police in Pagaralam, South Sumatra, have reminded gas station managers to make sure that they have enough gasoline and diesel to meet the travelers` demands.
They also intensify security measures in 17 tourist resorts in Pagaralam, which are expected to be flooded by holiday makers after the fasting month or Ramadhan.
In Surabaya, East Java, 60 snipers are deployed to protect travelers from criminals.
"We deploy 60 snipers. Twenty snipers are guarding Pantura (Java`s northern coastal highway), 20 along the southern highway, and 20 others in the middle highway," East Java Police Chief Inspector General Hadiatmoko said in Surabaya recently.
The snipers are guarding several places which are prone to criminal activities and they will shoot only in accordance with the existing procedures.
The National Police recorded a total total of 3,503 criminal cases, of which 2,551 were conventional crimes and 665 were other form of crimes during the Idul Fitri exodus 2010.
Other regions such as Banten, Riau, and Central Java, also deploy snipers to guard the Idul Fitri exodus this year.
(T.F001/HAJM/A014)
Reporter: by Fardah
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
