Millions of Jakarta residents are expected to leave the capital to celebrate Idul Fitri holidays in their respective hometowns.
The streets of Jakarta have been relatively quiet; not many vehicles were observed along the main roads in the Central, West, and South of Jakarta a day before Idul Fitri.
Earlier, the Ministry of Transportation estimated that 14.9 million Jakarta residents, or 44.1 per cent have left for their hometowns in the yearly migration. PT. Kereta Api Indonesia or KAI, a state-owned railway operator, has estimated that its trains have accommodated nearly a million passengers this year.
Eva Chairunisa, spokesman of PT. KAI operational region 1 – Jakarta, stated that at least 997,000 passengers had departed from the capital city, mostly from Pasar Senen Station, Central Jakarta – an increase of 9 per cent from last year. “Throughout the five days prior to Idul Fitri, the average number of passengers departing from Pasar Senen Station per day has been between 25,000 and 27,000,” she remarked.
According to state-owned toll operator PT.Jasa Marga, around 430,000 vehicles have entered the Cikampek Utama tollgate in Cikarang, Bekasi, heading eastward from 29th May to 1st June. 67,000 vehicles are recorded in the tollgate during the peak period each day – three times higher than that of a normal day, with approximately 23,000 vehicles. The exodus peak was on Saturday, when 87,000 vehicles passed through the roadway.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Image: Liputan 6