Minister Guarantees Readiness of Transportation Mode, Health Protocol Observance as Eid Draws Near

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi (Photo: Screenshot)

Ministry of Transportation has announced it has made preparations to ensure transportation mode readiness during mudik (annual exodus ahead of Eid al-Fitr, Islamic festival of breaking the fast) period this year, one of which is by conducting ramp checks on the 2022 Eid transportation modes.

“Among the things that we anticipate are the quality and capacity of all transportation modes. I have ordered the General Directors to carry out ramp checks. Buses, ships, airplanes, trains must be ramp-checked,” Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said in a press statement online, Thursday (03/31).

Budi also reminded the public to use transportation modes that have passed safety inspection.

“Do inform the public that not all buses can be used. Only buses that have been ramp-checked can be used,” he said, adding that besides inspecting the safety of vehicles, his Ministry will also check the health of transportation crew.

“We also obligate medical check-up for transportation crew: pilots, ship captains, train engineers, [and] bus drivers. We can carry it out at places of embarkation, at airports, terminals, stations, and so on,” he said, while underscoring that his Ministry has ordered operators of transportation facilities and infrastructure to continue to ensure the enforcement of health protocols following the provisions of COVID-19 Handling Task Force.

In addition, the Minister also urged the public who will take part in mudik to get boosted or vaccinated with a third dose, adding that Ministry of Transportation and related parties will also facilitate travelers who have not been boosted to get the jab at places of embarkation, including Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tanjung Priok Port, and Tanjung Perak Port.

“God willing, vaccination, especially the third vaccination, can be carried out at places of embarkation, at airports, at Soekarno-Hatta, at [Tanjung] Priok [Port], at [Tanjung] Perak [Port], at harbors, at [bus] terminals, and train stations,” he said, adding that based on a survey conducted by the Ministry’s Research and Development Agency, the public’s interest in participating in mudik is very high.

“Approximately 79 million [of people] want to take part in mudik. It can certainly be understood that after the past two years of travel restrictions, many people want to do so. Several regions have the highest number of mudik travelers, including the provinces of Central Java, East Java, and West Java,” he said.

Budi also expressed hope that amidst the public’s very high interest in mudik, this year’s mudik can run orderly and smoothly with strict health protocol observance.

“The interest is very high. [It should] be in line with how we prepare facilities and infrastructure. And the important thing is that we must pay attention to safety, maintain it, and as the Task Force Commander has said, health protocols must be enforced,” he remarked. (FID/UN) (DH/EP)