Minister Of Transportation Budi Karya: Ministry Of Transportation Anticipates A Surge In Travelers During The Eid Al-Adha Holiday

Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Transportation has made a number of anticipations ahead of the Iduladha 1441 Hijriah celebration which will fall on Friday 31 July. The reason is, there will be a moment of long weekend off and there is no prohibition on going home from the government.

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi has instructed his staff to anticipate a surge in passengers and vehicle traffic. The increase in passengers is estimated to occur in intercity and inner-city transportation, because people will be visiting or on vacation after carrying out the Eid al-Adha worship.

"We have anticipated it at transportation nodes, on national roads and toll roads, and in tourist areas where an increase in vehicle flow is predicted due to the long weekend starting Friday, Saturday and Sunday," Budi Karya said as quoted by Antara, Wednesday 29 July.

The Ministry of Transportation has prepared personnel, as well as coordinating with relevant agencies such as the police, and the Transportation Service in the regions to improve supervision in the field, as well as with transportation operators.

The Minister of Transportation added that in this year's Eid Al-Adha, there is no policy prohibiting going home as in the last Eid Al-Fitr. However, the Ministry of Transportation has asked all transportation operators to jointly create safe and productive transportation which means safe and healthy transportation, starting from the departure area, while traveling, and when arriving at the destination.

The Minister of Transportation explained that the ministry he and stakeholders in the transportation sector has committed to providing safe and healthy public transportation to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This has been done since the implementation of the new habitual adaptation period (IMR) in the transportation sector, through the issuance of Permenhub 41 of 2020 concerning Transportation Control in the context of Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 on 8 June. Then regarding the criteria and requirements for people's travel, the Ministry of Transportation still refers to the Circular of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19 Number 9 of 2020.

"We are trying to build public trust in order to feel confident in using public transportation such as buses, trains, planes and ships. Some time ago I had time to visit a number of transportation nodes such as airports, stations, ports and terminals in Jakarta, Tangerang, Merak, Solo, Yogyakarta and the implementation of their health protocols are quite good, "said the Minister of Transportation.

The Ministry of Transportation appealed to the public to remain disciplined in implementing health protocols when using public transportation. Health protocols that need to be implemented are wearing masks and face shields, maintaining distance, washing hands frequently / carrying hand sanitizers, ensuring that you have carried out a rapid test / PCR with non-reactive / negative results.

In addition to passenger transportation, ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Ministry of Transportation also provides livestock transportation to meet the supply of sacrificial animals in a number of areas by deploying six livestock boats to transport the needs of sacrificial animals to and from areas in need. On Saturday, July 25, the cattle ship KM Camara Nusantara 2, carrying 550 cows, arrived at Dumai Port, Riau from Tenau Port, Kupang.

The Ministry of Transportation also ensures that inter-city logistical transportation continues to run smoothly to maintain the availability of national logistics, especially the basic needs of the community.