Over 107 million Indonesians Travel for the Nataru Holidays

Jakarta – The coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy stated on Monday that around 107 million Indonesian people are predicted to travel during the upcoming 2024 Christmas and New Year (Nataru) holidays. 

"Based on a survey from the Transportation Ministry, the estimated number of people who will travel is around 107.63 million," Effendy said in Jakarta on Monday. 

Efferndy stated that the peak of the Christmas homecoming flow is expected from December 22 to 23, and the peak of the return flow is estimated from December 26 to 27.

Meanwhile, the peak of the New Year's holiday flow is predicted to occur on December 23–30, and the peak of the return flow will be on December 1–2, 2024, he continued. 

Meanwhile, the Head of Traffic Corps at the National Police (Polri), Aan Suhanan said that his team has prepared several traffic management schemes to support people's mobility during the holidays.

Indonesian police will regulate the entry and exit of vehicles at each rest area on the toll road to ensure smooth traffic flow, he remarked. 

"The police will also implement traffic engineering such as diverting traffic, activating one lane, and contraflow on roads to tourist attractions," he continued. 

Suhanan said that his team has also prepared a scheme to regulate vehicle traffic at ports to prevent traffic jams.

"The traffic operation at ports will use a delaying system or buffer zone. We will regulate the flow of vehicles to the port to avoid congestion," he informed. 

Meanwhile, the Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Vice Marshal Kusworo, said that his agency has mapped disaster-prone locations and carried out disaster mitigation simulations ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Basarnas is also increasing preparations for hydrometeorological disasters, considering that the holidays will take place in the rainy season, he added.

"Since November, Basarnas has carried out disaster simulations, especially at vulnerable locations in Jakarta and throughout Java Island," He concluded.