Jasa Marga Ensures Rest Areas On Toll Roads Are Opened

Illustration. (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - Jasa Marga ensures that it will continue to open rest areas or rest areas on toll roads even though they predict a decrease in the volume of vehicles going home in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Director of Building and Facilities Management of PT Jasamarga Related Business, Tita Paulina, said that all rest areas on the toll road including mosques, toilets, gas stations, and food courts will continue to operate fully by implementing health protocols.

"We will restrict access in and out of the rest area. Officers will check the temperature of employees and visitors using a thermal gun," said Tita in a written statement, Wednesday, May 13.

When users of resting facilities who do not comply with health protocols, such as not wearing masks or even their body temperature is detected above 38 degrees Celsius, they are not allowed to enter the resting place.

"Directed to the isolation area for further handling," said Tita.

In addition to preparing a resting place for motorists, Jasa Marga is also preparing three main services ahead of Eid 2020.

Jasamarga Metropolitan Tollroad Division Head Reza Febriano explained that the three main services are transaction services which include 100 percent functionality of toll road equipment by providing additional personnel for tapping assistance and mobile reader personnel as well as preparing each technician to remain alert during the Lebaran 2020 period.

"Operating substations will also be adjusted to the needs in the field and we ensure that services according to the SPM of the toll roads are maintained," said Reza.

Furthermore, Jasa Marga provides traffic services that include the placement of officers in locations prone to overcrowding; operational security, especially in locations prone to social security disturbances; ensure the readiness of Traffic Service Vehicles such as mobile customer service, cranes, ambulance and rescue; ensure that toll road facilities and infrastructure are in good condition; regulate traffic distribution; and accelerate the distribution of information through various channels.

Jasa Marga then prepares construction services by alerting officers 24 hours to close holes on toll roads, cleaning channels to anticipate puddles on toll lanes and alerting water tank vehicles for the availability of clean water at toll gates and rest areas.

In addition, there is also a temporary suspension of project and construction activities in accordance with the direction of the Ministry of PUPR.

"The temporary suspension will be in effect from D-2 (21 May 2020) to H2 Lebaran (25 May 2020) to support smooth operations on toll roads," he explained.

Previously, Jasa Marga estimated that there would be a decrease during the COVID-19 period on March 16 to May 9 2020 for normal traffic (Lalin) on February 2 to 29, 2020. Lalin left Jakarta to the East at the Cikatama 1 toll gate (GT) and Kautama 1 under normal conditions the average traffic was 56,442 vehicles, while during COVID-19 it was 32,140 vehicles.

Then, continued Fitri, there were 42,878 vehicles to the West at GT Cikupa towards Merak under normal conditions, while during COVID-19 there were only 28,025 vehicles. Meanwhile, to the South at GT Ciawi 1, the average volume of vehicles during normal time was 30,858 vehicles, while during COVID-19 it was only 17,221 vehicles.

"So, traffic to the east, the average volume of vehicles fell by around 43.06 percent, to the west in Cikupa it fell 34.64 percent, and in Ciawi it fell 44.19 to the average normal traffic in February," he said. .

Fitri said, for traffic entering Jakarta from the East at GT Cikatama 2 and Kautama 2, the average traffic volume in normal conditions in February was 55,710 vehicles and decreased to 31,920 vehicles during the COVID-19 period.

Then, he continued, from the West at GT Cikupa towards Jakarta, the normal average was 41,602 vehicles and when COVID-19 was 27,788 vehicles. Meanwhile, from the south on GT Ciawi 2, the normal average was 25,798 vehicles, while during COVID-19 the average recorded was 15,209 vehicles.

"Entering from the East was down 42.70 percent. Then those entering from the West at the Cikupa toll gate decreased 33.21 percent and from the South at the Ciawi 2 toll gate decreased 41.04 percent," he said.