VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Some prospective passengers wait at the Bakauheni Port in Lampung, to cross to the Merak Port, Banten, on April 14, 2024. ANTARA/Aloysius Lewokeda - 

VOInews, Jakarta : Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said the return flow on the third day after Eid al-Fitr 1445 Hijri from Sumatra Island to Java Island had not shown a significant increase in passengers or vehicles.

"With the relaxation carried out yesterday, today (the return flow) is relatively flat," he told reporters at the Bakauheni Port here on Sunday.

Minister Sumadi on Sunday visited the Bakauheni Port in Lampung in order to monitor the Eid return flow condition.

At the location, he was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Head of the National Police Traffic Corps Inspector General Aan Suhanan, President Director of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry Ira Puspadewi, and several officials.

He said the relaxation in the form of making ticket invalid for the first 24 hours which is being enforced on April 11-21, 2024 has significantly reduced the return flow density.

He said the number of ferries can still accommodate the numbers of travelers in the return flow from Sumatra to Java.

On that occasion, Sumadi praised the Lampung Regional Police that has implemented the red-green-yellow mechanism for handling return flow.

The red return flow condition means that it is very dense so that many ferries must be operated quickly from Bakauheni Port to Merak Port.

"So the ferries must go directly from here (Bakauheni Port) to there (Merak Port), unload the passengers, and return again from there without loading," he said.

To anticipate the surge in passengers at Bakauheni Port, his side operates Lampung's Panjang Port for ferry crossings to Ciwandan Port in Banten, he said.

He hoped that travelers can take advantage of Panjang Port to get crossed to Java Island//Antara-VOI