Minister Calls for Collaboration to Ensure Smoothness of This Year’s Exodus
Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi at Podkabs Studio (Photo: Bureau for Public Relation and Protocol of the Cabinet Secretariat/Agung)
Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi has once again underscored the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to ensure that this year’s mudik (exodus ahead of Eid) could run smoothly and safely.
“Please support us for without your collaboration, we cannot carry out the duty successfully,” the Minister said during Cabinet Secretariat’s podcast “Podkas” aired on Saturday (15/04).
A survey by Ministry of Transportation has shown that the number of this year’s exodus travelers is predicted to jump to 123.8 million from that in the previous year at 85.5 million.
Budi explained that during this year’s exodus season, he would inspect various crucial points from the return traffic, adding that there are at least three crucial points including Cipali Toll Road, Merak Sea Port, and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
“I won’t join the exodus as I have to control the situation. The toughest situation is usually at Cipali Toll Road. The last two weeks, we also have to inspect Merak [sea port] and other locations as well,” he added.
Budi added that his Ministry had provided coordination posts for this year’s exodus that function to coordinate traffic and transportation all over Indonesia.
“We will provide new posts with big screens. We will make control at the posts with related institutions. The posts will also be provided not only in Java Island but also in Papua, Moluccas, Batam, and other regions,” he explained.
The posts will operate for 19 days starting from 14 April 2023 to 2 May 2023, including the one based at the office of the Ministry of Transportation in Jakarta.
The posts have facilities to carry out coordination online with officers on the ground from various regions and to control movement of passengers at 48 terminals, 16 crossing ports, 50 airports, 51 ports, 9 train operation areas, and 4 train regional divisions.
The posts also function to control vehicle movement on a number of national roads, both toll and non-toll.
A number of institutions are involved in the posts, including Ministry of Transportation, the Indonesian Police Traffic Coordinator, the Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), the National Search and Rescue Agency, state-owned ship operator PT Pelni, state-owned airport operator PT. Angkasa Pura, state-owned ferry operator PT. ASDP Indonesia Ferry, state-owned toll road operator PT. Jasa Marga, state-owned insurance company PT. Jasa Raharja, state-owned railway company PT. Kereta Api Indonesia, the Indonesian Interpopulation Radio (RAPI) and the Indonesian Amateur Radio Organization (ORARI). (RF/MAY/DND/TGH/UN) (GA/EP)
