The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region expects to see over 6.44 million inbound and outbound passenger trips during the upcoming Easter and Qingming holidays, the Immigration Department of the HKSAR government said Tuesday.

The department said in a statement that an estimated 5.43 million passenger trips were expected to pass through the city’s land boundary control points during the holidays from April 3 to 7.

The number of trips using land boundary control points will be relatively higher on April 3 and April 7, peaking at around 712,000 on Good Friday, it added.

The department also said that passenger traffic at the Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line and Shenzhen Bay control points will be heavy, with Lo Wu expected to see a daily average of 240,000 trips.

To cope with the anticipated heavy traffic, the department said it has minimized leave for frontline officers for flexible deployment and the operation of additional and temporary counters. Additional security guards will also be deployed to provide crowd management support.

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The ImmD, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Customs and Excise Department and the MTR Corp Ltd will set up a joint command center at the Lo Wu Control Point to monitor passenger conditions and make necessary arrangements.

The ImmD said it will also maintain close communication with Chinese mainland authorities, including the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, to ensure the smooth flow of passenger traffic.

Meanwhile, the Transport Department urged members of the public to plan their trips early and allow sufficient travel time.

The MTR will enhance East Rail Line services between Admiralty and the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations based on passenger demand during the holidays, the department said.

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If needed, the frequency of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle bus (Gold Bus) would be increased to an average of about one minute during peak hours, it added.

The department also said that HZMB users going to Zhuhai should note that the temporary link bridge connecting HZMB Zhuhai Port and Qinglu South Road has been closed to all traffic.

They should use public transport services as far as possible, the department said, adding that traffic at Zhuhai Port and neighboring roads may also be affected.