W

est Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan called on the central government on Thursday to extend the Idul Fitri holiday this year, due to increasing problems of traffic management.

Heryawan revealed that he had conveyed the request through a letter to Administrative Reform Minister Azwar Abubakar.

'€œThe government should shift the holiday to avoid congestion,'€ he said on Thursday.

He said the proposal to shift or extend the holiday was related to traffic management by the police during the homeward-bound exodus.

'€œNone of the civil servants have raised any objection to the holiday. This is about Idul Fitri exodus management, transportation management,'€ said Heryawan.

Officially, the Idul Fitri holiday is two days: the first and the second day after the end of Ramadhan.

Heryawan said his office submitted the proposal for a longer holiday because West Java would be passed through by travelers from Banten and Jakarta going home to Central Java. Despite this, however, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician has not asked the Banten or Jakarta governors to write similar letters to the minister.

Meanwhile, West Java Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Rycko Amelza Dahniel said police had conducted evaluations of the implementation of the Idul Fitri traffic in 2012 and 2013.

In 2013, the police were able to manage the homeward-bound traffic well thanks to the equal spread of vehicles over different days.

Rycko expressed concern that if the holiday was set three days prior to Idul Fitri, the traffic volume would pile up during the three days.

'€œThe road capacity would not be sufficient. The surge in traffic would take place and cause congestion everywhere,'€ he said.

Ideally, said Rycko, the holiday should be over the six days before Idul Fitri. The National Police have estimated a travel time of 10 hours from the Cikopo toll exit to Central Java.

'€œIf there is a surge in the number of vehicles, then the target will not be reached,'€ he said.

Based on evaluations by the West Java Police, there were 1,046,607 vehicles during the peak of the exodus in 2013, which was monitored three days before Idul Fitri although the holiday commenced six days before Idul Fitri.

In 2012, when the Idul Fitri holiday was shorter, traffic built up over two days. Three days before Idul Fitri, traffic volume stood at 1,853,370 vehicles and two days before Idul Fitri it stood at 1,347,411.

'€œIn 2012, vehicles piled up and caused severe congestion,'€ said Rycko.