By: Ade Dianasari )*
Homecoming is not only an annual routine in Indonesia, more than that going home also becomes the government’s goal in seeking the smooth running of travelers to their hometowns.
In 2017 the Ministry of Transportation adds transportation modes that will be used for free homecoming as an alternative to reduce travelers who use motorized transportation. The policy of the Minister of Transportation is how the Ministry of Transportation can serve the community so that it is truly safe.
The free homecoming is offered to travelers who use motorbikes, so that travelers do not use motorbikes to go to their hometowns.
Meanwhile, to anticipate congestion-prone points that occur due to a railway track after the East Brebes toll exit, since the beginning of 2017 the PUPR Ministry has built 4 flyovers, namely Dermoleng Fly Over, Klonengan, Kesambi and Kretek in Brebes and Tegal Regencies, Central Java.
Head of the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing Herry Trisaputra Zuna said that on the operational toll roads, Toll Road Business Entities also prepared parking bays in addition to supporting the main rest area. However, it should be noted that the parking bay is preferred as a temporary stop to reduce buildup, not to be used as a resting place for a long time.
In that year, the police also placed personnel who would function as “referees” on and off the toll road that travelers would pass. The “referees” have the authority to regulate the flow of vehicles, both diverting and closing the flow to alternative roads so that vehicle flows are evenly distributed on the toll road, Pantura, middle lane and southern lane.
Meanwhile in 2018 the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono stated that in general the readiness of the homecoming route in 2018 is better than the previous year. The condition of the national road in 2018 at that time, was in a steady state of 90 percent.
“So if the overall national road conditions are more than 90 percent, the conditions are stable, starting from Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi,” he said.
Similarly, toll infrastructure. Of the 760 km that have been built, already 525 km of toll roads from Jakarta to Surabaya can already be fully used on the Lebaran 2018 homecoming. In fact, as many as six toll roads are opened functionally during the Lebaran 2018 homecoming.
Not only in Java, the Trans Sumatra toll road owned by PT Hutama Karya (Persero) is also ready to be opened to launch the flow of Lebaran homecoming, namely the Medan – Binjai toll road, Palembang – Indralaya, and the Bakauheni – Terbanggi Besar toll road.
In addition to roads, Minister of Transportation, Basuki, also said that the Toll Road Business Entity (BUJT) also provides a discount on toll rates of 10 percent. Discounts are divided into several different times and different toll roads, with the aim that the homecoming flows are distributed.
The Ministry of PUPR and BUJT also prepared other supporting facilities in the toll road in the form of 26 car toilet units, 30 stool cars, 4 cabin toilets and 47 mobile readers and toll card top up facilities in a number of rest areas.
Djoko Setijowarno, observer of the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI), said that the government has been better at preparing infrastructure to support the flow of Lebaran homecoming in 2018. This is indicated by the addition of construction and development of airports and toll road construction.
Whereas in 2019, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono, said that his party had prepared all supporting infrastructure for going home 2019. Including the readiness of toll roads and national roads or arteries.
The PUPR Minister also stated that he would guarantee that the infrastructure to support the 2019 Eid homecoming was very well prepared.
On another occasion, Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi, ensuring one-way rules during the Lebaran 2019 homecoming on toll roads remained in force.
The government has also compiled several traffic management schemes that will be implemented to unravel the high movement of vehicles out of Jabodetabek, namely by implementing a one-way system starting from the Main Cikarang toll road (KM 29) to West Brebes Toll Road (KM 262).
Of course we all hope that the program or strategy of the government can be applied in the smooth flow of homecoming, because after all going home is a necessity for many people in Indonesia.
)* The author is a transportation observer