The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
With the exception of travelers and residents heading to the airport, many people in Jakarta will have difficulty reaching their destinations Monday with no improvements made so far (as of Sunday) for the city's inundated roads.
The government ensured, however, alternative routes and transportation to and from Sukarno-Hatta International Airport as well as the use of Halim Perdanakusuma airbase as a contingency measure.
The measures were made after Vice President Jusuf Kalla's helicopter tour Sunday, conducting an aerial examination of the airport as well as part of the inundated city.
Kalla was accompanied by State Minister for State Enterprise Sofyan Djalil, Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Jamal, State Minister for the Environment Rahmat Witoelar, Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto, Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah and Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo.
Fauzi said that a plan to build elevated expressways to the airport would soon be realized to deal with possible floods.
Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II's corporate secretary, Sudaryanto, said all airport buses had been informed to take alternative routes through Tangerang to reach the airport's back gate (also known as west gate), should the Sedyatmo tollway -- the main access route to the airport -- remain flooded.
In cooperation with tollroad operator PT Jasa Marga and public bus operator PT Damri, the airport management has also prepared trucks and dinghies that could pass through the floods to evacuate passengers trapped on the tollroad.
Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia was forced to place its crew in hotels near the airport to ensure that the airline's services would not be disrupted by the floods, Garuda spokesman Pujobroto said.
The airline also needed to prepare back-up fuel, in case planes were diverted to other airports, Pujobroto added.
Merpati Nusantara has decided to begin moving its operational activities to Halim on Monday night.
"The activities would be returned to Soekarno-Hatta as soon as the conditions improve," Merpati general manager Purwatmo said.
Airport administration head Herry Bakti said the flight schedule had returned to normal on Sunday.
"There are some delays, but nothing unusual," he was quoted as saying by Antara.
He said the delays were mostly caused by air crew and passengers arriving late to the airport due to the chaotic traffic, even though the runway was still flooded.
The inundated tollway to the airport has been closed since Friday. The government has created detours for traffic through several alternative routes, including Tangerang city.
"The number of vehicles (traversing in the city to reach the airport's back gate) increased to some 15,000 per day since Friday, three times the amount on a regular day," airport traffic police chief Comr. Sutimin said.
The Traffic Management Center reported several areas were still flooded Sunday, including West Jakarta's Joglo, Daan Mogot, and Cengkareng as well as North Jakarta's Ancol, Tanjung Priok, Cilincing and Kelapa Gading.
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