Grave sweepers urged to stagger grave-sweeping activities over wider period before and after Ching Ming Festival
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The spokesman said, "The opening hours of columbaria under the FEHD will be extended to 7am to 7pm during the Ching Ming Festival period (i.e. from March 18 to April 16) to facilitate grave sweepers as well as to lessen crowd conditions."
The spokesman reminded grave sweepers to pay attention to special traffic and transport arrangements which will be implemented during the Ching Ming Festival. Access to cemeteries and columbaria of the FEHD will be closed to all vehicles while the special traffic and transport arrangements are in operation, except for those with permission. For details of the special traffic and transport arrangements in the vicinity of cemeteries and crematoria, please browse the Transport Department website (www.td.gov.hk).
Moreover, a section of Nim Wan Road to Tsang Tsui Columbarium will be closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during the above-mentioned Ching Ming Festival period. Grave sweepers are not allowed to drive to the Columbarium. Apart from the MTR Bus Route K52A, the public can also take the special Routes 56S (Tuen Mun Station - Tsang Tsui Columbarium) and 52S (Tuen Mun Road Bus-Bus Interchange - Tsang Tsui Columbarium) provided by the KMB on specified days to the Columbarium. For details, please refer to the announcements from the MTR Corporation Limited and the KMB.
At the same time, the FEHD expected that there will be a large number of visitors burning paper offerings in joss paper burners (JPBs) at the Tsang Tsui Columbarium in the peak sweeping period of the Ching Ming Festival. In order to reduce the waiting time as well as the gathering of crowds, no walk-in queue for the JPBs will be allowed at the Tsang Tsui Columbarium on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during the above-mentioned Ching Ming Festival period. All JPB users must make advance booking via the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk) or obtain queue tickets on the ground floor of the Columbarium. For details of the JPB arrangement, please browse the FEHD website.
To protect the environment and to prevent hill fire, members of the public are encouraged to adopt more environmentally friendly ways to pay respect to their ancestors, such as offering flowers instead of burning joss papers and incense. Grave sweepers should take extra care when burning incense, which should only be carried out inside a designated joss paper furnace or an iron bucket. They should make sure that all fire has gone out before leaving. Grave sweepers are also reminded to keep flammable items (such as alcohol antiseptic sprays and alcohol-based instant hand sanitisers) away from fire.
The Government has been promoting green burials, and the FEHD has set up the Internet Memorial Service webpage (www.memorial.gov.hk) and its mobile application for members of the public to pay tribute to their deceased beloved ones anywhere and anytime.
Ends/Monday, March 6, 2023
Issued at HKT 18:05
Issued at HKT 18:05
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