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rom Palembang to West Java, people have begun to mudik, or return home for Idul Fitri.

At the Tanjung Emas Port in Semarang on Monday, the ferry KM Lawit disembarked passengers traveling from eastern Indonesia, while the KM Kirana I disgorged 600 passengers from West Kalimantan.

Travelers using private cars and motorcycles with Jakarta and Bogor license plates were also seen entering Semarang.

Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang said that the number of travelers who would pass through Central Java during Idul Fitri this year would be 5,189,153, an 5.8 percent increase over last year’s total of 4,807,482. The exodus is expected to peak two days before Idul Fitri starts on Sep. 10.

“Travelers using motorcycles still dominate the roads, with 1,969,821 people, those using private cars are estimated at 1,815,878 people, and 1,963,067 will use buses,” said Edward, adding that 257,631 people in Central Java were expected to travel by train, 45,350 by plane and 18,576 by sea.

“We will deploy personnel to curb the traffic accident rate. We will coordinate will every agency to provide travelers with a sense of security and comfort during their journey to their hometowns,” said Edward.

He also urged travelers to be in top physical condition for the long and tiresome journey. “Please check the condition of your vehicles and obey all traffic signs,” he said.

On security, Edward said he had told his officers to take stern measures against troublemakers.

“If need be, shoot them on sight, in accordance with standard operating procedures,” Edward said.

The Central Java Transportation Office said it would provide 16,784 buses to carry 646,263 people to minimize pileups at bus terminals.

State railway company PT Kereta Api said it would provide 37 regular trains and 10 additional trains to Central Java daily, state airport management firm PT Angkasa Pura has approval for 37 daily flights daily and state shipping firm PT Pelni reports 10 passenger ferries are at the ready.

In Palembang, South Sumatra Transportation, Communications and Information Office (Dishubkominfo) said the Idul Fitri exodus would peak Sept. 7, while return travel would peak six days after Idul Fitri on Sept. 17.

Dishubkominfo’s official Novri Dalimun said the office’s forecast was based on experience from 2009.

“Last year, the peak of the overland Idul Fitri homebound and return journeys took place three days before and five days after Idul Fitri, while the railway homebound and return journeys peaked three days before and a day after the holiday,” he said.

He said the office had coordinated with the health office to prepare community health clinics on that will be open 24 hours a day to provide first aid for travelers and accident victims. In Jambi, Port Administration head Mulyono asked provincial river transport operators to be alert of 60 accident-prone locations along the Batanghari River, which serves as a major artery for passengers and cargo transport.

— Kharul Saleh and Jon Afrizal contributed to the story from Palembang and Jambi respectively