Spare a thought for migrants this festival

Although the Ministry of Railways claims only a small percentage of train tickets are sold online, official statistics show that 40 percent of the tickets sold on Jan 4 were through the Internet, many of which were to popular destinations.

Many journalists have interviewed migrant workers and booking clerks and both groups have said it is even more troublesome to purchase train tickets from counters during peak transport seasons now. It's true that fewer people queue up in front of ticket counters nowadays but those who need tickets the most (migrant workers) find it more difficult to book a ticket.

Huang Qinghong, a migrant worker from Chongqing who worked in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, wrote a letter to the Ministry of Railways last year complaining about how the online ticketing system has made booking a ticket more difficult. His letter sparked a heated public debate but nothing seems to have changed for migrant workers in the intervening one year.

Though the railway authorities offer group ticket purchasing service for migrant workers in many areas, the procedure is complicated because ticket buyers have to furnish documents such as letters from labor unions or their employers. It is practically impossible for the large number of migrant workers who work for small companies or are self-employed to get such documents.

In 1999, the US national telecommunications and information administration used a term, "information divide", to describe the gap between people with and without access to information technology, saying it could further widen the wealth gap between them. The online ticketing service is one example of that trend spreading in China. The trend of scientific and technological progress may be irreversible, but there's no reason for us to make life more difficult for the disadvantaged groups.

When it comes to social policy, fair play and justice should be the top priority. But the online ticket service can hardly be described as fair play, especially because a lot of people in China haven't touched a computer keyboard in their life.

Some media reports have highlighted many voluntary activities started by local communities, NGOs and volunteers to provide migrant workers network training and guide them to book tickets online. But along with such genuine public services, the authorities should consider issuing train tickets online and from counters simultaneously during peak traveling seasons such as Spring Festival to help migrant workers. After all, disadvantaged groups such as migrant workers deserve to share the benefits of the nation's economic success.

The author is a writer with China Daily. E-mail: wangyiqing@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 01/17/2013 page9)