Passenger flow to exceed 2 billion in Spring Festival (Xinhua) Updated: 2005-12-18 11:37
China's passenger flow will hit 2.042 billion persons in the 2006 Spring
Festival period, up 3.1 percent over the equivalent time last year, according to
official estimate.
People to travel by railway will reach 144 million, while those through road
transportation will be 1.8 billion and the number via aircraft will stand at 15
million, said the National Development and Reform Commission.
The commission has urged relative departments to arrange additional trains,
buses, ships and planes to meet the travel surge, especially more trains in the
regions with large flow of students and migrant workers.
The authority also required local governments to coordinate the two major
petroleum companies to ensure oil supply during transportation season,
especially the supply of diesel oil.
The transportation period of Spring Festival, China's traditional lunar new
year which starts on January 29, 2006, will last from January 14 to February 22.
The holiday is an important occasion for Chinese families, similar to
Christmas in the western world.
For years, transport facilities have strained during the season as throngs of
migrant workers, college students and other Chinese flock back home and then
return to the places where they work and study.
|