Transportation Ministry to Host Another Free Lebaran Exodus Program, Adds Sea Routes
Jakarta. The Ministry of Transportation will again host a Lebaran holiday exodus program, known as "Mudik Lebaran," and provide free rides on public buses, trains and even ships.
In previous years, the ministry only offered free train and bus rides to allow Indonesia's growing urban population to return to the countryside for the Muslim holiday Idul Fitri, or Lebaran.
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said the government will provide a total 208,000 seats on buses, trains and ships this year, and will transport as many as 48,000 motorcycles and scooters to family homes to certain destinations across the archipelago.
"This is the first time we are offering residents sea passage to return home [...] We are only commissioning four or five ships this year, but if the program succeeds, we might use up to 20," Budi said in Jakarta on Wednesday (31/05).
One of the sea routes for this year's Lebaran exodus will connect Jakarta and Semarang, Central Java, with four trips scheduled. As many as 16,000 passengers and 8,000 motorcycles are expected to travel on the ministry's vessels.
However, the Transportation Ministry only plans to schedule two return trips after the holiday, catering to just 2,000 passengers and 1,000 motorcycles.
Another route will serve Jakarta-Lampung, with two trips planned before and after Idul Fitri, again catering to 2,000 people and 1,000 motorcycles.
Budi is hopeful that citizens will take advantage of the free transport methods offered during the Lebaran exodus to avoid traffic congestion on country roads and minimize increasingly frequent road accidents.
According to ministry data, as many as 18 million people rode public transportation during last year's holiday exodus.
Watch Indonesia Highlights at 8 p.m. tonight on the Jakarta Globe News Channel to find out more.
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