Evaluation of Eid Homecoming and Returning, Crossing Routes Improved

Anticipation of the 2025 Eid al-Fitr homecoming is being prepared. Queues and traffic jams should not become a routine agenda for going home and returning.

KOMPAS/ADRYAN YOGA PARAMADWYA

Cars were queuing to exit the ferry docked at Merak Port, Banten on Monday (15/4/2024). PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero) operates 37 ships to transport 387,204 passengers from Sumatra Island to Java Island on April 11-14, 2024.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The implementation of going home and returning during the holiday Idul Fitri 1445 Hijriah was considered quite good. However, improvements are still needed, such as to anticipate the accumulation of passengers who will cross via Merak Port and Gilimanuk.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy explained the results of the 2024 return home evaluation after meeting Vice President Ma'ruf Amin at the Vice President's official residence, Jakarta, Wednesday (17/4 /2024) afternoon. Muhadjir's presence was also to stay in touch with Eid al-Fitr 1445 H.

"Based on the preliminary evaluation by the relevant government ministries and agencies including the police and military, the handling of the issue has been adequate. But of course, the final assessment will depend on the public. However, internally we have already conducted an evaluation," said Muhadjir to reporters after the meeting.

Although there have been some improvements, there are also some incidents that need attention. The vehicle queue causing congestion at Merak Port up to 16 kilometers needs to be anticipated in the future.

Based on the results of interim evaluations by relevant ministries and institutions, including the National Police and TNI, the handling was quite good.

KOMPAS/NINA SUSILO

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, gave a statement to journalists after meeting with Vice President Maruf Amin at the VP's official residence in Jakarta on Wednesday (17/4/2024).

Therefore, said Muhadjir, one solution to traffic jams in Jakarta Merak, among others, is asking for Vice President Amin's support regarding the acquisition of land used as a rest area so that motorists can park temporarily before entering the port. The location that will be used is at Km 97 towards Jakarta Merak. It can be used during the homecoming traffic next year as a parking area before entering the port. This location has been prepared as a buffer area (buffer zone) for vehicles that will cross to Merak Harbor. Here, the plan is for vehicles to be monitored, both tickets and departure times. In this way, the flow of vehicles towards Merak Harbor can be regulated.

Also read: Vehicle Density at Merak Harbor Begins to Become Visible

According to Muhadjir, land acquisition at Km 97 is 5 hectares of land, which has only now been completed. "Earlier I reported to the Vice President that the possibility, if possible, of collaboration between the provincial government, the Cilegon City Government and the central government, and ASDP because the land area is around 10 hectares, so for a buffer zone it would be very, very ideal," he said. Support from Vice President Amin is needed because Vice President Amin happens to be a figure in Banten.

In the eastern region, a new port has been added for crossing to eastern Indonesia. Previously, all crossings had to go from Ketapang, Banyuwangi to Gilimanuk, Bali to continue crossing to Lombok and Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara. In the future, travelers can use Jangkar Situbondo Port directly to their destination.

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

The atmosphere in the Gilimanuk Port area, Jembrana, on Wednesday (April 19, 2023). The movement of homecoming traffic through the crossing port from Bali to Java Island has been observed to increase.

From Anchor Harbor, travelers who want to cross to Madura Island can also go directly.

"Contraflow" Fixed

One incident of concern was a collision on the contraflow lane at Km 58 of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road which caused 12 people in one vehicle to die. Another accident was the overturning of a bus in the Batang area, Central Java.

To anticipate the recurrence of accidents due to vehicles on the contraflow lane, road dividers to secure contraflow vehicles are installed more tightly. Previously, the distance between the road dividers was thirteen meters, now it is eight meters.

To anticipate the recurrence of accidents due to vehicles on the contraflow lane, road dividers to secure contraflow vehicles are installed more tightly.

Apart from that, said Muhadjir, there will be a kind of antidote to vehicles moving into the opposite lane. Safety cars or safety cars as well as fire engines and tow trucks will also be prepared to anticipate accidents.

Vehicles passing through the contraflow lane are also actually limited in speed, only 60 km per hour. However, Muhadjir admitted that if there was no supervision, the driver could go very fast.

KOMPAS

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To reduce the use of motorcycles for homecoming trips, the government is encouraging more group homecoming trips that are free of charge. However, a single application is needed to be used collectively so that no residents register for free homecoming trips in multiple events, leading to empty group homecoming vehicles.

The improvements in question are related to reducing the number of accidents during the Idul Fitri 1445 H homecoming and returning.

In the notes from the Traffic Corps (Korlantas) of the Indonesian National Police, the number of fatalities has decreased in the past three years. In 2022, 310 people were recorded as dead from 1,457 mudik-balik (homecoming) accidents during the Idul Fitri holiday, while the following year, 189 people died from 1,789 accidents. As of April 15, 2024, the number of accidents has decreased by 15 percent and the number of fatalities has also dropped by 3 percent.

Also read: "Delaying System" Implemented, Tangsel-Merak 14 Hours

Jasa Raharja's CEO, Rivan Achmad Purwantono, as stated by Muhadjir, also mentioned a decrease in compensation provided to accident victims. Compared to last year, this decrease amounts to 52 percent.

In some aspects, there have been improvements compared to last year, for example, the number of accidents has decreased. Furthermore, regarding victims, the number of fatalities and injuries has also decreased. According to the report of the Director of Jasa Raharja, the compensation distributed this year also decreased compared to the previous year, by around 52 percent.