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The Immigration Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) estimated that about 6.78 million people will cross the land boundary checkpoints to and from the Chinese mainland during the coming Christmas and New Year holidays, an increase of 13.1 percent over the same period last year.

A government press release on Tuesday quoted an Immigration Department spokesman as saying that the peak period for cross-boundary traffic during the Christmas and New Year holiday period would be Dec. 19 to Jan. 4, 2004.

It is estimated that about 4.92 million passengers (daily average of 289,000) will cross the boundary via the Lo Wu checkpoint. This is 73 percent of the total cross-boundary passenger traffic and an increase of 2.6 percent over the corresponding period last year.

During the holiday period, the number of departing passengers at Lo Wu may reach a peak of 220,000 on Dec. 24, while the peak of arrivals will be on Dec. 28, with 190,000 people returning to HongKong. The highest daily traffic is expected to reach 345,000 on Dec. 24.

The passenger traffic at Lok Ma Chau checkpoint will also be heavy with a forecast of about 1.43 million passengers. The peak of departures is expected to fall on Dec. 24, with about 53,000 people departing for Shenzhen. The number of arriving passengers is expected to reach a peak of 57,000 on Dec. 21.

With the introduction of the Chinese mainland Individual Visit Scheme in July, some staff were deployed to reinforce Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Control Points. To cope with the traffic demands in the coming holiday period, another 157 staff will be deployed.

The Immigration Department and the Shenzhen authorities will also strengthen co-operation and liaison to ensure smooth and orderly movement across the boundary. If need, the Lo Wu checkpoint will also implement the Contra-Flow Scheme to relieve congestion.

The Immigration Department has, in association with the police,the Customs and Excise Department, the Transport Department, KCRC and the Shenzhen authorities, formed a Joint Command Center at Lo Wu Control Point. The party has drawn up contingency measures to handle untoward incidents and will oversee traffic conditions during the festive period.