China's capital received over 250,000 railway passengers per day since Jan. 29, with the maximum flows exceeding 270,000 on Feb. 3 and 4, according to statistics from the Beijing Railway Department.

Officials with the department said the railway passengers returning to Beijing were mainly composed of migrant workers from Chengdu, Chongqing, Hefei, Zhengzhou, Shanghai and Wenzhou cities.

The department has arranged 45 temporary passenger trains to ease tense transportation since Jan. 29. The number of temporary trains was increased to 49 on Feb. 5, and will again be raised to 54 from Feb. 7.

Officials predict that the number of railway passengers will continue to soar, as more students are expected to join the flows of migrant workers returning to Beijing.

The department has dispatched work teams to the city's major railway stations to supervise the prevention and control work aimed at bird flu, including strengthening infrared-ray temperature checks.

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2004)