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The Immigration Department estimates 7.67 million people will pass through its land, sea and air control points during the Christmas and New Year festive period. Among them, about 5.64 million will travel by land.
The peak period for passenger traffic during the festive period will be from December 22 to January 2 (12 days). It was estimated that about 3.49 million passengers would travel through Lo Wu control point, an average of 291,000 passengers per day, a department spokesman said today (December 21).
The number of departing passengers at Lo Wu is expected to peak at 215,000 on Saturday (December 23), while the peak of arrivals is expected to fall on Tuesday (December 26) with 190,000 people returning to Hong Kong. The highest daily traffic is expected to reach 350,000 on Saturday (December 23).
The passenger traffic at Lok Ma Chau control point will also be heavy with a forecast of about 1.81 million passengers, a daily average of 151,000. The number of departures is expected to peak on Sunday (December 24), with about 100,000 people departing for the Mainland. The number of arriving passengers is expected to reach a peak of 102,000 on Tuesday (December 26). Daily traffic is expected to reach 169,000 on Monday (December 25).
To cope with the anticipated traffic, the Immigration Department has suspended leave applications from staff working at control points and arranged for 120 extra officers to be posted at the airport, sea and land boundary checkpoints during the holiday period through internal deployment. Additional security guards will be employed to provide crowd management support at Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau control points.
The Immigration Department has, in association with the Police, the Customs and Excise Department, the Transport Department, the KCRC and the Shenzhen authorities, set up a Joint Command Centre at Lo Wu control point. All parties concerned have drawn up contingency measures to handle any untoward incidents and to oversee traffic conditions during the festive period. If necessary, the Lo Wu control point will implement the Contra-flow Scheme to relieve congestion.
Lok Ma Chau control point will activate the "Dual-facing Counter Unidirectional Application" mode during the peak of visitor arrivals, to increase the number of clearance counters for arriving visitors. In view of the limited handling capacity of Lok Ma Chau control point, the Immigration Department suggests cross-border passengers use Lo Wu control point to avoid congestion.
There are 243 e-channels in operation at various control points. In addition to smart identity card holders who are Hong Kong permanent residents aged 11 or above and holders of Documents of Identity for Visa Purposes, since September 12, 2006, people holding valid smart identity cards who have the right to land or have unconditional stay in Hong Kong, and non-permanent residents who have been issued with a notification label can also enjoy self-service immigration clearance through e-channels.
Passengers whose fingers were too dry, wet or unclean would encounter difficulties with fingerprint verification. To avoid delay, they should moisten, wipe or clean their fingers before entering the e-channels.
The Immigration Department will also upload daily arrival statistics on its website, www.immd.gov.hk, during the festive period.
Passengers bound for the Mainland should be careful with their personal belongings and avoid carrying over-sized luggage, the department said. Passengers are also reminded to take their identity cards and valid travel documents when travelling to the Mainland.
Those in the process of having their identity cards replaced and holding an acknowledgement receipt should bring along a valid travel document. Children under 11 years of age who hold Hong Kong identity cards should carry a valid travel document such as their passport or Re-entry Permit, the department spokesman said.
Hong Kong residents who travel outside Hong Kong and need assistance may call the Hong Kong Immigration Department's 24-hour hotline, (852) 1868.
Ends/Thursday, December 21, 2006
Issued at HKT 09:52
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