We are trapped in the traffic jam."Merak, Banten (ANTARA News) - Post-fasting travelers cars intending to cross the Sunda Strait to Sumatra, packed the Merak Ferry Port here on Saturday, or two days before the Idul Fitri, or Lebaran festivities next Monday and Tuesday.
Thousands of Idul Fitri travelers using their private cars that came from various regions in Java accumulated at the ports piers and parking areas waiting for their turn to be ferried to Bakauheni ferry port in the eastern tip of Sumatra, according to an Antara correspondent monitoring this years Lebaran exodus there.
Since early hours on Thursday the private cars have flocked to and been in queues at the ferry port. "We have been waiting for our turn to get on the ferry since 5.30 am. We are trapped in the traffic jam," Syamsuddin, a traveler with his own car heading to Palembang in South sumatra said.
He said that travelers on private cars arrived simultaneously so that they could not be accommodated as they exceeded the capacity of the piers and parking areas.
The Inland Waterway Transportation Service PT ASDP should increase the capacity of the Merak Ports parking lots and increase the number of its piers, he added.
"We hope the ASDP would increase the number of piers and capacity of the parking areas for Lebaran travelers," Syamsuddin added.
Jakaria, another Idul Fitri holiday traveler departing for Padang, West Sumatra province, arrived early in the morning but he was still waiting for embarking on a ferry.
"We hope we could get on the ferry by midday to cross to Bakauheni port in Sumatra," Jakaria noted.
PT ASDP Public Relations for Merak Port Mario Sardadi Oetomo remarked that the number of pedestrian and private car passengers had increased.
Idul Fitri travelers, who are also called pemudik had been increasing since Friday night. "We predict that the in-coming travelers will continue to increase today and pack the port," Oetomo asserted.
(Uu.A014/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
