Shanghai authorities predict Spring Festival traffic will increase significantly today and tomorrow and in the four days after the festival, as migrant employees return to work.

Since February 7, 4.86 million passengers have arrived and departed the city's ports, airports and railway stations, including 1 million migrant employees who returned home for festival.

"However, we expect Saturday and Sunday to be the busiest days of the festival," said Le Weizhong, vice director of the General Team of the Public Security Order.

This year officials estimate a record high of 7.86 million people on the move - 6.55 percent more than last year.

The highest increase is expected to be in rail travel, which Le estimates will cater for 3.95 million passengers.

No accidents have been reported since January 28, the first day of the festival season, city officials said yesterday. Le said police are vigilant with regard to travel safety and security.

In the first 11 days of the travel peak, 245 ticket scalpers were arrested in the city, 5,441 explosive and flammable goods seized, and 89,041 tickets issued for traffic violations.

( eastday.com February 9, 2002)