REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEKASI -- The Jakarta Police has estimated that the number of motorcyclists traveling during Idul Fitri in 2015 will decline by some 500 thousand.
"(The drop in the number of motorcyclists is) due to the free mudik (homebound trip) programs being offered by a number of companies and government agencies," Deputy Chief of the Jakarta Police Brigadier General Nandang Jumantara said here on Thursday.
He added that among the agencies offering free mudik programs is the Ministry of Transportation.
"State-owned shipping firm PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia and the state-owned railway operator are also providing free trips," he affirmed.
Both companies are scheduled to transport thousands of travelers to Java's northern coastal highway (Pantura) and its surroundings, with their departure point at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan.
As many as 2 million homebound motorcyclists are expected to use the Pantura during the Idul Fitri holidays this year, Jumantara remarked.
"In 2014, the total number of motorcyclists was 2.5 million," he said.
However, he estimated that the number of homebound travelers going by car will increase as they would want to take advantage of the new toll roads.
President Joko Widodo inaugurated the 116.7-kilometer-long Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) Toll Road in Purwakarta, West Java, on Saturday.
Work on the Cipali project commenced in December 2011 with its ceremonial groundbreaking conducted by the then public works minister Djoko Kirmanto.
The development of the toll road was carried out by PT Lintas Marga Sedaya, with 55 percent of its shares owned by PLUS Expressways Berhard and 45 percent, by PT Baskhara Utama Sedaya. It involved a total investment of Rp12.56 trillion and a concession period of 35 years.
This stretch is part of the Trans-Java Toll Road project, which will connect Merak in Banten, West Java, and Banyuwangi in East Java.
The Cipali toll road is 40 kilometers shorter than Java's Pantura and will reduce travel time to the same destination by 1.5 to two hours.
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