Police Applies 90mnt Rest-time Across Cipali Tollway Rest Areas

TEMPO.CO, Subang-Subang Police plans to enforce a 90-minute time limit to stop at two rest areas on Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) tollway. The restriction will be applied on two rest areas - located on Kilometer 86 and 102, on the stretch that leads to Palimanan."We will enforce strict time limits of 90-minutes per vehicle," said the Head of Subang Police's Traffic Management Unit, Adj. Comr Sujana on Thursday, June 30, 2016.

According to Sujana, the restriction is applied to anticipate the pile-up of vehicles across these rest areas, which often overflows on to the tollway - causing severe congestion along the route. "We do not want a repeat of the severe congestions that travellers had to encounter during last year's homecoming period," he said.

Furthermore, Sujana also said that authorities will ban regular passenger bus services from travelling through Cipali tollway. "All regular buses will be required to exit at Cikampek and to continue their journey through the Northern Coastal Road (Pantura) via Jomin Intersection," he said.

The Deputy Director for Cipali Tollway's operator, PT Lintas Marga Sedaya (LMS), Hudaya Arryanto said a significant increase of traffic passing through the tollway have been observed since two days ago. "Two days ago, 15,800 vehicles passed through Cipali - up by around 80 percent, as yesterday, 28,400 vehicles were recorded to have crossed the tollway," he said.

Furthermore, to help reduce queues around the payment booths at Palimanan, Hudaya said that LMS have opened 26 booths to serve travelers from Jakarta - up from the previous number of 11. "We are also accepting electronic payments made through e-Money cards issued by BCA, Bank Mandiri, BRI and BNI," he said.

NANANG SUTISNA