China's local traffic departments have been urged to step up maintenance efforts to ensure major roads are safe and clear in the face of a snowy weather and the upcoming Spring Festival travel rush.

Freezing rains and snow over the past few days have blocked some roads in the south, the traffic administration bureau under the Ministry of Public Security said on Thursday.

Local offices in affected areas are urged to immediately activate emergency response plans and deploy all staff onto the expressways and major state and provincial highways to ensure they're passable.

Officers should beef up patrol and traffic dispersion, prevent vehicle collisions and long-time congestion, and coordinate with highway managers to help remove the snow or ice.

They are advised to update weather information to the public through radios, TVs, the Internet and mobile phone short messages, and inform drivers of road conditions at toll stations.

Early last year, an unusual month-long snow and ice disaster in the southern parts of China paralyzed many roads and railways, stranding millions of travelers heading for a family reunion during the Spring Festival or Chinese Lunar New Year.

The festival falls on January 26 this year.

(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2009)