11.38 million expected to cross Hong Kong borders over Lunar New Year period

About 11.38 million Hong Kong residents and visitors are expected to travel through the city’s border crossings during the Lunar New Year holiday, marking a projected 16 per cent rise from last year.The Immigration Department released the 10-day estimate, covering the period from the 27th day of the last month of the Lunar calendar to the seventh day after the new year, following an interdepartmental working group meeting on festive arrangements chaired by Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki on Thursday.After consulting Shenzhen authorities, the department estimated that about 9.52 million trips would be made through land boundary control points, including Lo Wu, the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line connecting the MTR Lok Ma Chau station and the Shenzhen-bay" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="13093" data-entity-type="location">Shenzhen Bay crossings.During the same period last year, total cross-border passenger traffic reached 9.8 million. If this year’s projection proves accurate, the figure will represent a 16.12 per cent increase year on year.“The Immigration Department advises all land boundary passengers to plan in advance, avoid making their journeys during busy periods and keep track of radio and television broadcasts on traffic conditions at various control points,” the working group said.To handle the anticipated heavy traffic, the department said it had minimised leave for frontline officers to allow flexible deployment and would operate additional counters and channels.However, no additional operating hours will be arranged at the boundary control points.