Homecoming Christmas And New Year's Holidays, South Sumatra Provincial Government Will Falls 600 Congested Officers

Illustration of traffic flow when holidays arrive. (Pixabay)

SUMSEL - The Provincial Government (Pemrov) of South Sumatra (Sumsel) has begun to prepare a number of steps for Christmas 2022 and New Year 2023 or Nataru. Mainly related to potential crowds and congestion.

Head of the South Sumatra Transportation Service (Dishub) Ari Narsa said optimization of congestion mitigation would be carried out by the South Sumatra Provincial Government by deploying 600 traffic control officers.

"Yes, they are prepared to regulate the flow of traffic on inner-city roads to inter-city border roads which are prone to congestion," he said in Palembang, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, December 6.

The Transportation Agency officers will join TNI personnel, Polri in the Musi Candle Operation for the 2022-2023 period which is spread to 17 regencies and cities in South Sumatra.

These personnel will be deployed five days before Christmas which falls on December 25, 2022, until a week after the 2023 New Year.

Ari predicts that there will be an increase in the number of motorized vehicle riders on the highway, potentially causing traffic jams.

The increase in the number of motorists, he continued, was also the impact of improving community conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of 2022.

He explained, based on cross-sectoral coordination meetings, the potential for congestion can occur at several vulnerable points, including on roads within Palembang City because they become travel destinations.

In addition, on Jalan Lintas Timur (Jalintim) Sumatra, the Palembang-Betung section, Banyuasin Regency, led to Jambi Province.

So there is also a thickening in this vulnerable point section. In addition to alerting personnel, several tow trucks have also been alerted. To prepare alternative routes, especially in East Java," he said.

The Transportation Agency has specifically prepared three monitoring posts in Jalintim Sumatra, each located at the Palembang-Banyuasin, Sukomoro, and Betung border gates.

"The three monitoring posts can be used by travelers who need information about the flow of local traffic or maybe assistance if there are problems on the way," he said.