Heaptalk, Jakarta — The Ministry of Transportation unveiled that Eid Homecoming 2024 will involve the mass movement of 193.6 million people, representing 71.7% of Indonesia’s population. This figure has surged compared to last year, which was only 123.8 million people.
This data is the results of an annual survey conducted by the Ministry of Transportation through the Transportation Policy Agency in collaboration with Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, as well as involving experts and academics in the transportation sector.
Further, the majority of travelers, roughly 31.3 million people (16.2%), will come from East Java, followed by Greater Jakarta with 28.43 million people (14.7%), and Central Java with 26.11 million people (13.5%). Meanwhile, Central Java will be the most common destination with 61.6 million people (31.8%), followed by East Java with 37.6 million people (19.4%), and West Java with 32.1 million people (16.6%).
On the other hand, trains are the preferred mode of homecoming transportation with 39.32 million (20.3%), followed by buses at 37.51 million (19.4%), private cars at 35.42 million (18.3%), and motorbikes at 31.12 million (16.07%). This preference is influenced by several factors, including the absence of Covid-19, family economics, collective leave, school holidays, improved quality and quantity of transportation infrastructure, as well as weather conditions.
Homecoming peaks two days before Eid
The study also forecasts that the peak homecoming day based on people’s preference will occur two days before Eid or Monday, April 8, 2024, which coincides with the start of collective leave. On that day, the potential for mass movement is estimated to reach 26.6 million people (13.7%). Meanwhile, the peak return day is estimated to fall on three days after Eid, Sunday, April 14, 2024, with the potential movement of 41 million people (21.2%).
“Seeing the picture of these conditions, we are taking preparatory steps both operationally and policy-wise in controlling, organizing, and handling transportation comprehensively together with ministries and institutions in the central government, regional governments, state-owned enterprises, and the private sector,” explained Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi in Jakarta (03/12).
Budi said that the government would implement effective policies to anticipate a surge in homecoming travelers which would result in congestion at nodes and on roads through travel patterns, transportation patterns, and traffic patterns. “We will regulate homecoming times, provide discounts on mass transportation rates for early homecoming, free homecoming, traffic engineering, discounts on toll rates, and traffic management, primarily in areas at risk of experiencing extraordinary congestion,” he concluded.
