Beijing civil affairs administration predicted that about 1.5 million people will visit cemeteries during the days around the traditional Tomb-sweeping Day, which falls on April 5.

The number is 270,000 more than last year and about 400,000 will go to the famous Babaoshan Cemetery, said the official sources.

The government authority will emphasis two possible problems, namely, traffic jams and terrorist activities.

Sources from the Beijing Subway Company indicate that crowds of cemetery visitors appear from March 27 to April 4 and on the most busy day there would be 1.7 million subway passengers.

Subway management has prepared additional shuttles and other resolutions for possible emergency situations.

The transport authority has broadened roads and built new parking lots near some major cemeteries Beijing has around 73 cemeteries.
 
(Xinhua News  Agency  March 31, 2004)