Garut (ANTARA) – Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi expressed support for the West Java government’s policy to temporarily ban traditional horse-drawn carriages, locally known as delman or andong, to anticipate the mobility surge during the Eid al-Fitr homecoming season.”This is a program from the governor to assist the central government in managing Eid transport, aiming to ease traffic for our brothers and sisters joining the homecoming flow,” he said while reviewing the policy’s implementation in Garut, West Java, on Saturday.Speaking at the Garut Resort Police headquarters, Purwagandhi acknowledged the provincial policy as a measure to ensure safe and smooth travel for homecoming participants passing through West Java.He also praised West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi for adopting a balanced approach to the matter by providing compensation to delman and pedicab drivers affected by the restrictions.The minister described the compensation as “added value” for local residents who earn their livelihoods from the two traditional vehicles.Purwagandhi also signaled the possibility of the policy being adopted in other regions, noting that several local administrations had already introduced similar measures to support homecoming mobility.He emphasized, however, the importance of considering the unique characteristics of each region along the homecoming route, as well as the financial capacity of local governments to provide compensation for affected residents.”I encourage the governments of regions frequented by homecoming travelers to consider such policies, but we recognize the need to adjust to the readiness of each region,” the minister said.He made the statement during an event where Governor Mulyadi symbolically handed over compensation to andong drivers affected by the policy, which restricts them from operating from one week before Eid al-Fitr until a week into the holiday.The compensation amounts to Rp1.4 million (over US$82) per driver in Garut, equivalent to Rp200 thousand per day, effectively doubling their average daily income of around Rp100 thousand.