Homecomers Spend 10-11 Hours To Arrive At Merak Harbor

Vehicles queue at Merak Harbor/Photo: Antara

CILEGON - Homecomers by car from the Jakarta, Bekasi and South Tangerang areas take about 10-11 hours to arrive at Merak Harbor, Cilegon. Agus Salim, a resident of Bantargebang, Bekasi, said that he and his family only arrived at Merak Harbor at around 11.30 WIB. "Even though we departed Friday April 29 at 19.00 WIB," said Agus at Merak Harbor, Cilegon, Banten, Saturday, April 30. Agus, who was about to return to Palembang, said he was surprised by the travel time they took to Merak. In the homecoming season before the pandemic, the duration of the trip was not that long. "However, yes, just enjoy it. Maybe this is because there has been no going home for two years," he said, quoted by Antara. The length of time they spent on the road. Eko and his wife only arrived at 10.00 WIB, Saturday (30/4), even though they left the house at Friday (29/4) at around 19.45 WIB. "It was never like this before. Hopefully it will be a lesson for the future," he said. Meanwhile, Sony, a resident of Pamulang, South Jakarta, started queuing at Merak Harbor at 11.30 WIB, Saturday (30/4). In fact, he shifted to Merak from his residence on Friday, April 29 at 21.00 WIB.

"However, maybe this is already a risk because so many people are going home at the same time," said the man who will return to Lampung. When entering the Cikupa Toll Gate, Tangerang, many homecomers are directed by the police to exit the Cilegon Barat, Cilegon Timur, Serang Barat or Serang Timur Toll Gate in order to reduce the number of vehicles at the Merak Toll Gate. This situation creates congestion even to the arterial route. This was added to by the implementation of opening and closing by the police at several points and the peak of the homecoming flow on 29-30 April 2022. These policies had to be carried out in order to break up the crowds that occurred at Merak Port. The police deliberately stopped the vehicles when Merak Harbor was full.