Starting D-7 Lebaran, Motorbike Travelers To Sumatra Via Merak Diverted To Ciwandan Port Cilegon

Merak Crossing Port, Banten. (Between-Akbar Nugroho Gumay)

JAKARTA - Homecomers using motorbikes or two-wheelers who usually use Merak Port to Sumatra will be diverted to Ciwandan Port, Cilegon City, Banten Province. The diversion will be carried out starting D-7 Lebaran 2023 or Eid al-Fitr 1444 Hijriah.

Head of the Banten Provincial Transportation Agency, Tri Nurtopo, said that his party was still waiting for a technical policy from the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) regarding the plan to transfer these motorbike travelers.

However, in general, the policy plan will certainly be carried out according to the results of the previous coordination meeting between the Ministry of Transportation, the Banten Provincial Government, PT. ASDP Merak, and other agencies.

"The purpose of this policy is to reduce the accumulation of vehicles at Merak Port at the peak of the Lebaran homecoming flow," said Tri Nurtopo in Serang Friday,

However, private vehicles and public transportation as usual will go through Merak Port. It's just that ASDP Merak will not sell tickets directly around Merak port.

"The sale of tickets will all be done online," said Tri Nurtopo.

Before the motorbike travelers from the direction of Serang, Tangerang and its surroundings are directed to Ciwandan Port, they will first be collected at the checkpoint located in Kramatwatu Square, Serang Regency.

"At the location of the Kramatwatu Square, special ticket sales will be made for travelers who drive two or motorized wheels," he added.

Nurtopo mengatakan, kebijakan lainnya dari kementerian perhubungan terkait penanganan arus mudik tahun ini di Pelabuhan Merak, yakni mulai D-7 perjalanan train yang biasanya sampai ke Stasiun Merak akan dilakukan pemberhentikan terakhir di Stasiun Kota Cilegon. Selanjutnya, para penumpang train akan diborang ke Pelabuhan Merak menggunakan mobil.

"This goal is to avoid the accumulation of vehicles at the railroad crossing at the gates of Merak Port," said Tri Nurtopo.

According to Tri Nurtopo, the increase or increase in the number of travelers in this year's Eid is estimated to reach approximately 6 percent. So that his party anticipates various possibilities, especially congestion at certain points along the homecoming route in the Banten area.