Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Banten
An electronic ticketing (or e-ticketing) pilot project will begin at Merak Port in Cilegon, Banten, in a bid to prevent revenue loss from fraud, the national water-crossing transportation operator PT ASDP Ferry Indonesia has said.
"We will start the tryout of the e-ticketing system 15 days before the Idul Fitri celebration," Teja Suparna, PT ASDP Ferry Indonesia Merak's branch manager, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
He said the e-ticketing system aimed to minimize company revenue loss by between 5 and 10 percent at least and to help eliminate illegal fees at crossing ports.
"E-ticketing is an automatic system, just like the ticketing system used by turnpike operators. It's quicker and more accurate," he said, adding the new system would also help improve the company's service to the public.
Teja said Merak Port had started introducing the new system to users, in particular vehicle owners, by placing posters near the entrance and inside the port.
To prepare for the exodus of travelers during the Idul Fitri holidays, PT ASDP Merak will open eight ticket booths for vehicles, with ticketing machines placed in each ticket booth.
"So far, we have completed four gates," he said, adding all of the gates were expected to be functioning properly 15 days before the first day of Idul Fitri.
He said a one-hectare parking lot at the port could take up to 250 to 300 large vehicles such as trucks and buses.
During the exodus period ASDP Merak will operate 24 ferries, Teja said.
Banten Police are also making safety preparations for the Idul Fitri holiday.
"We will operate a fleet of seven patrol vessels and three rubber boats to monitor the Sunda strait during the Idul Fitri holidays," Banten Water Police director Adj. Sr. Comr. Alex Fauzi said.
He said anticipation of possible accidents and evacuations from the Sunda strait would mostly focus on the tourist resorts in Cilegon and Pandeglang.
Banten Traffic Police director Adj. Sr. Comr. Istiono said about 2,500 officers would be deployed to secure land transportation lanes, especially at the points in Banten prone to traffic accidents.
"We will also establish at least 27 first-aid stations for passing motorists," Istiono said.
He said the police had asked PT Marga Mandala Sakti, operator of the Tangerang-Merak turnpike, to repair damaged parts of the toll road between kilometer 47 and kilometer 98.
"The toll road operator has promised to complete the repair works by 10 days before Idul Fitri," he said, adding the police had yet to identify the borders of road repairs for motorists.
Idul Fitri this year falls on October 1 and 2.
The road between Serang and Cikande is damaged and without traffic signs at several points, making it a high-accident area, especially during holiday periods.
Istiono said that to ease traffic at the crossing point, the police would not allow trucks to cross the Sunda strait for the four days before and after the Idul Fitri holiday.
"Trucks that still operate during that period will be confined at rest areas on the sides of the turnpike," he said.
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