Govt Ready to Serve Idul Fitri Travelers

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The government has prepared and made ready all facilities for travelers wishing to go to their hometowns to celebrate post-fasting Idul Fitri holidays next week, a senior minister said.

"Overall, ministers have reported the readiness of all services needed by travelers, including infrastructural facilities, who will go to their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri holidays. This is expected to be better than last year's services," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said here on Friday.

He said that preparations for travelers going hometowns (mudik) and for their return later from the festivities had been made in a number of sectors such as transportation, food, infrastructural facilities and health services.

"The number of travelers using private vehicles is expected to decline this year, despite the fact that travelers will increase in numbers. This is a consequence of the increase in the air and train transportation services," the minister said.

Hatta said one interesting thing was that the number of parties organizing free transportation for travelers  was also increasing this year.

Almost all big companies and several political parties organized free of charge mudik programs for thousands of travelers.

With regard to the infrastructure, the coordinating minister for economic affairs said that highways in Sumatra and Java were also now ready for use.

"The readiness of roads is far better (this year than last year's). This means that the infrastructural conditions this year are better than those of last year," he said. (*/DWA)