Shenzhen Metro rolled out three immediate improvement measures on Tuesday (Jul 21), aiming to ease the congestion caused by the new screening policy in all metro station checkpoints earlier this week.
The measures aimed at boosting efficiency include accelerating the installation of smart metal detection security gates, speeding up security checks during peak hours at high-traffic stations, and deploying more staff to help manage crowds.
The move came after the metro operator introduced a stricter screening policy on Sunday (Jul 19) that all baggage must pass through X-ray machines and all passengers must undergo one-on-one physical checks with handheld detectors.
That policy, however, led to slow processing on Monday (Jul 20), with wait times of 20 to 30 minutes during peak periods as queues spilled outside stations, drawing widespread criticism from commuters.
By Tuesday evening, the improvements appeared to be working. According to Shenzhen media, on-site observations at Futian Station at around 6pm showed more staff managing crowds, while clear signage and public announcements helped passengers pass through security checks quickly and in an orderly manner. Waiting times were reduced to about one minute.
The report also noted that metal barriers had been set up at select security checkpoints in addition to the above measures at Chegongmiao Station, another high-ridership hub.
