As Spring Festival fast approaches in China, the rush to get home to spend time with family and friends intensifies. But not everyone will have that privilege as there are many who work through the holiday to ensure its a safe a pleasant one for the rest of us.
A man's best friend...That's certainly been the case for Liang Feng's for the past 20 years. As he patrols and checks suspicious items, their footsteps are heard across the railway stations in Shanghai year after year.
"Spring Festival is usually the busiest time at work. I was unable to join the family gatherings for many years. But it is worth it, to make sure passengers can have a safe journey home." Liang Feng, police dog trainer of Shanghai Railway Police, said.
Liang Feng, a police dog trainer in Shanghai, has been on duty for Spring Festival travel rush, for many years. /CGTN Photo
China's Spring Festival travel rush is considered the world's largest human migration annually. As millions of migrants from across the country traverse enormous distances to reunite with their families.
Shanghai's Hongqiao railway station is one of the busiest transport hubs in all of China during the Spring Festival travel rush. On average about half a million passengers, almost the size of a town's population, travel through here every day. That puts tremendous pressure on security personnel. New technologies are also being embraced to improve security.
"We use heat maps to monitor the real-time levels of crowds within Hongqiao Station and have different plans accordingly. If some spot becomes overcrowded, we will deploy police immediately to keep order and prevent chaos." Zhou Rongliang, deputy head of Hongqiao Railway Police Station, said.
Shanghai's Hongqiao railway station is one of the busiest transport hubs in all of China during the Spring Festival travel rush. That puts tremendous pressure on security personnel working there. /CGTN Photo
Hongqiao station is a comprehensive hub connecting an airport, high-speed railway, highway and subway to downtown Shanghai and the neighboring Yangtze River delta area. Police from different departments, as well as SWAT teams, are patrolling around the clock in case of any emergency situations.
"I feel secured and everything is in order during my journey. I can see policemen and railway staff and ask for help easily." said Hua Jiabing, a passenger.
Hongqiao police say passenger flows will increase further as the Spring Festival approaches, but they will stick to their posts to make sure everyone gets home safe and sound.