Authorities take steps to ensure safe travel amid freezing weather

Amid severe freezing weather challenging millions of travelers heading home for the Spring Festival reunion, the transportation department has implemented measures to ensure a safe journey.

Continuous freezing snow and rain has affected central and eastern China from Thursday to Sunday, impacting areas, including Henan, Hubei, and Jiangsu province, according to the National Meteorological Center.

This inclement weather coincides with China's Spring Festival travel rush, posing significant challenges for travelers and service providers.

To prepare for winter weather and potential disasters during the holiday, the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council issued a notice on Thursday, urging the guarantee of safe and smooth transportation.

Transport regulators and service providers have taken various measures to ensure emergency response and to fully guarantee the safe and smooth operation of the travel rush.

The national railway operator, China State Railway Group, has taken steps to mitigate safety risks by suspending operations or reducing speeds in several regions, including Hunan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Guangdong provinces, and Shanghai, according to the company on Saturday.

Passengers affected by train suspensions can apply for ticket refunds free of charge, with additional windows opened at railway stations to facilitate refund and change requests.

Comprehensive inspections of key routes, bridges, tunnels, and other critical locations are being conducted by railway departments.

Continuous monitoring of track switches, overhead lines, and Electric Multiple Units have also been carried out to ensure the good condition of railway equipment and facilities.

Furthermore, additional staff members and equipment have been deployed for snow removal and de-icing operations. Backup diesel locomotives and rescue workers are positioned at major railway lines and hubs to prepare for emergencies.

To satisfy passengers' demand for travel, more train services have been operated in areas where the weather has improved.

China Railway Beijing Group plans to add 177 train services to popular destinations such as Xi'an in Shaanxi province and Changsha in Hunan province, while China Railway Shanghai Group will add 472 trains to popular destinations, including Changsha and Nanchang in Jiangxi province.

In the heavily affected area of Henan, all railway stations are now open 24 hours until Monday, offering continuous service to passengers.

The Zhengzhou East Railway Station has activated the emergency response plan, placing mats to prevent passengers from slipping at the stations and distributing more workers at the inquiry center to answer passengers' questions, Zhao Jingfei, head on duty at the Zhengzhou East Railway Station, told China Central Television.

In addition to railway operations, airports in central and eastern China have also faced delays and cancellations due to the adverse weather.

For example, the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Henan has seen cancellations and delays.

Beside carrying out snow removal work, the airport has offered more than 2,500 blankets, 1,000 foldable chairs and beds as well as 1,100 electricity charging equipment to affected passengers, said the airport's general manager Wang Bing at a news conference on Friday.

Snow removal and de-icing work on national freeways and highways in snow-hit areas has also been carried out, including Henan and Shandong, according to the Ministry of Transport.

As a result of the adverse weather, many travelers have faced delays and cancellations.

A Beijing resident surnamed Peng took a high-speed train from the capital on Friday and headed south to Nanning, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Her train was delayed for two hours because of the bad weather, adding the journey to over 13 hours.

"Many trains heading south were delayed or canceled yesterday. It was the first time that I experienced a delay on a high-speed train," the 40-year-old said.

Another Beijing resident surnamed Liu canceled her travel trip to Xi'an, Shaanxi province, at the last minute because of the bad weather.

"I'd rather avoid waiting in the station with two children," she said. She canceled the trip to Xi'an and then flew to Guangzhou instead.

Despite these challenges, efforts are being made to accommodate the high volume of travelers during this year's 40-day travel rush, which is expected to handle approximately 9 billion trips.

The adverse weather may be the first challenge for the travel rush, with the peak expected in the following week.