The Number Of Homecomers Is Predicted To Increase, The Minister Of Transportation Holds A Traffic Planning Meeting

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi held a coordination meeting at Jasa Marga Office Km 70B Cikampek Utama Toll Gate regarding anticipatory steps against the surge in vehicle movements during the Lebaran homecoming in 2023.

According to the Minister of Transportation, of the total potential number of people moving during this year's Eid homecoming, which reached 123.8 million people. Users of four-wheeled private vehicles are the highest choice for people to travel back and forth. It is predicted that the number will reach 27.32 million people or 22.7 percent of the total movement.

"We are preparing from an early age, so that we can be better prepared and still have time to improve the existing shortcomings," he said in an official statement on Sunday, March 19.

The Minister of Transportation explained that Jasa Marga predicts that the number of vehicles that will pass at the four main toll gates, namely Cikupa, Ciawi, Cikampek Utama, and Kalihurip, will be higher than the 2022 Eid homecoming period.

It is predicted that the number of vehicles leaving Jabodetabek will reach 2.2 million vehicles, an increase of 2.8 percent and those entering Jabodetabek will reach 2.3 million vehicles, an increase of 1.4 percent compared to the Eid homecoming period in 2022.

"Seeing the high prediction of a surge in vehicles on the toll road towards Semarang, we continue to coordinate intensively with the Korlantas Polri, KemenPUPR, the Toll Road Management Agency, Jasa Marga, and other related elements, to prepare traffic engineering management such as, contra flow, one way, restrictions on freight transportation and so on," he said.

The Minister of Transportation added that his party would issue a Joint Decree (SKB) to determine the time for traffic engineering, which would be implemented in the field by the Korlantas Polri.

Furthermore, other efforts were made, namely, adding and improving road infrastructure facilities such as, repairing and widening roads, adding rest areas, adding road markings, and other road facilities.

"Select the homecoming time earlier, and avoid the peak time of homecoming and return flow. So it is hoped that the spread of vehicle movements will be more evenly distributed and there will be no peak spike on a certain day which is very high," said the Minister of Transportation.

Based on predictions, the increase in homecoming flow has occurred since D-3 or Wednesday 19 April 2023, and will reach its peak on D-1 or Friday 21 April 2023. As for the backflow, the peak will occur on D+2 or Tuesday 25 April 2023 and will still be quite high until D+3 or Wednesday 26 April 2023.

Also attending the coordination meeting of the Director General of Land Transportation Hendro Sugianto, Head of Traffic Police Firman Santhyabudi, Director of Jasa Marga Surbakti Syukur, Secretary of the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) Triono Junoasmo, Dirlantas Polda West Java, and a number of toll road operators.