"PAN will also offer free passage on 200 air conditioned buses to Idul Fitri travelers."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - To facilitate a smooth passage for home-bound Idul Fitri travelers, the National Mandate Party (PAN) plans to set up 50 command posts throughout Indonesia to man sections of roads that are prone to traffic jams, an official said on Thursday.
"PAN will also offer free passage on 200 air conditioned buses to Idul Fitri travelers. The buses are expected to transport around 5,000 travelers to their respective home towns," Ahmad Hafizs Tohir, the chairman of PAN membership development said.
The setting up of command posts for traffic regulation and the deployment of buses will be organized by the Enforcers of People`s Reform Mandate (PARRA), a division of PAN.
Tohir said thousands of home-bound travelers can expect to be transported to Java and Sumatra on August 15. "Our service will be better this year compared with last year," he said.
He added that PAN has also ramped up the number of buses plying on additional routes this year, to help travelers make a safe journey to their home towns.
Millions of Indonesians journey home every year during the Lebaran festivities.
They make the trip on buses, trains, ships, airplanes, and even motorbikes, although driving motorcycles during the holiday rush is considered risky.
According to data released by the National Police Traffic Management Center, during the period prior to and post the Idul Fitri celebrations of 2011, 2,770 accidents took place, which killed 449 persons, seriously injured 760, and slightly injured 1,914.
During the same period, 3,418 accidents involving motorcycles took place, which was a 40 percent jump from 2,446 motorcycle accident cases in 2010. **3***
(A014/INE/H-YH)
(T.A014/A/KR-BSR/B/H-YH) 09-08-2012 20:43:41
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
