Jakarta. The Transportation Ministry anticipates a surge in travel during the Eid al-Fitr homecoming and holiday period in 2024, estimating around 137 million journeys, marking a 6 percent increase from the previous year's 123 million.

To alleviate potential congestion during the annual exodus, the public is urged not to initiate hometown journeys simultaneously during the peak travel period. This advisory was issued during a cross-sector coordination meeting on preparing for the Eid al-Fitr travel flow in 2024, organized by the Traffic Directorate of the Indonesian National Police in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Ahmad Yani, the Director of Traffic at the Ministry, emphasized their lack of authority to regulate government-designated holiday schedules and leave. Therefore, he strongly encouraged the public not to engage in simultaneous homecoming travels.

"Don't return at the same time because toll roads cannot accommodate everyone. The Ministry of Transportation cannot regulate this [holiday schedule]; what we can do is promote awareness, urging people not to travel simultaneously," said Ahmad Yani.

He added, "Departure schedules can be coordinated, especially considering the national holidays. This is to avoid simultaneous departures, for example, on two days before Eid." Eid is expected to fall on April 10.

Out of the estimated 137 million travelers, the Ministry predicts that the majority will head towards Central Java (26 percent), East Java (19 percent), and West Java (16 percent).

In a separate announcement on Feb. 29, the Ministry unveiled the Free Homecoming Transportation Program for 2024. The program, running from March 5 to April 3, aims to provide a safe and comfortable means for the public to return to their hometowns.

Adita Irawati, the spokesperson for the Ministry, advises against using motorcycles for homecoming trips. In 2023, traffic accidents in Indonesia reached 116,000 incidents, with 77 percent involving motorcycles, according to the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) data.

For the homecoming and return journeys, 722 buses are available for 30,088 passengers, along with 30 trucks for 900 motorcycles. Homecoming trips are scheduled for April 5-7, 2024, while return journeys will take place on April 14 and 15.

For sea travel, the Directorate General of Sea Transportation is offering a quota for 9,800 passengers and 4,800 motorcycles, scheduled for April 3-17.

Additionally, the Directorate General of Railways is organizing the free homecoming program from March 4 to April 18, with quotas for 28,196 passengers and 12,180 motorcycles, which will be loaded into the trains. Homecoming train journeys are set for April 2-8, while return journeys will take place on April 13-19.