Government Asked to Anticipate Traffic Jams during the Return Flow of Eid

Illustration of traffic jams. (Antara)

Member of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Sudjatmiko, asked the Ministry of Transportation together with related institutions to immediately evaluate and take concrete steps to anticipate the recurrence of congestion during the homecoming flow during the Eid al-Fitr return.

He gave an example of the severe congestion that occurred on the Denpasar-Gilimanuk route, Bali, where a long traffic jam was reported with a queue of vehicles that flowed up to about tens of kilometers to the Gilimanuk Port. This condition makes thousands of travelers have to wait for hours on the road without certainty of crossing time.

"This traffic jam of up to tens of kilometers shows the need for quick, coordinated, and measurable handling steps. This situation should not be allowed to drag on because it concerns the safety, comfort, and rights of people who are traveling home or back later. The state must be present to ensure that travelers can travel safely and humanely," said Sudjatmiko in his statement, Wednesday, March 18.

He urged the Ministry of Transportation, the police, PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry, and the regional government to strengthen coordination to carry out traffic engineering and strengthening crossing management. In addition, the implementation of a more orderly and transparent queue management, including the use of information technology to monitor vehicle density in real time must be carried out so that the public can obtain accurate travel information.

The politician from the PKB Faction emphasized that a thorough evaluation needed to be carried out so that the problem of horror congestion on strategic routes such as Denpasar-Gilimanuk would not continue to recur during the return flow and during the upcoming homecoming season.

"We want a transportation system that is more ready and responsive. Don't let the community face the same problems every year. The government must ensure that homecoming takes place safely, smoothly, and humanely," said Sudjatmiko.