Han Ximin

    ximhan@26.com

    SHENZHEN Funeral Home and Jitian Cemetery will arrange free bus services at Jinyinkeng bus stop and Hongmian Road in Longgang District to handle the surge of tomb sweepers between April 2 and 4, the Qingming Festival holiday.

    On April 2 and 3, Baoenfudi Cemetery in Nanshan District will arrange free buses at Exit B of Liuxiandong Metro Station for tomb sweepers. The phone number is 2662-2899. Longshan Yongjiu Cemetery will also offer free buses between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on April 4, Qingming Festival, at the entrance of Donghu Park. The service hotline number is 8480-5015.

    The traffic police authority may impose traffic controls on roads to Shenzhen Funeral Home, Jitian Cemetery, Baoenfudi Cemetery and Dapeng Bay Cemetery for Overseas Chinese if congestion occurs. Cars without authorized certificates won’t be allowed to enter Shenzhen Funeral Home and Jitian Cemetery between April 2 and 4, and those vehicles parked on roads nearby will be towed away and fined 500 yuan (US$72.75). If parking causes congestion, the violators will be fined 2,000 yuan.

    Tomb sweepers going to Jitian Cemetery can get off at Danzhutou or Liuyue Metro stations on Line 3 and take buses near the two stations to Jinyinkeng Bus Stop before taking free buses.

    People going to Baoenfudi can get off at Xili Station of Line 5 and take buses 316, 325, 326, 392, 797, M217 and M345. Those going to Longshan Yongjiu Cemetery in Longgang can transfer to a bus at Nanlian Station.

    The transportation commission will add buses and expand services to the city’s major cemeteries.

    Shenzhen West Bus Co. will operate temporary buses at 10-minute intervals from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. between April 2 and 4 to provide free rides to people transferring from routes M253, M254, B789, 779, 780, 781 and 782 to Dawang Cemetery in Shajing Subdistrict, Bao’an District.

    Shenzhen’s funeral service administration advised tomb sweepers to stagger their times. Tomb sweepers are also reminded not to use fireworks during tomb-sweeping ceremonies.

    Qingming Festival is a time when people remember and honor their deceased family members at grave sites and cemeteries.

    Qingming Festival is also a period for short-trip traveling and police estimate that the peak of vehicles leaving Shenzhen will arrive between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. April 1 and the morning of April 2.

    The peak of returning vehicles is expected between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. on April 4. The expressways in China will be toll free during the holidays.