24-hour border crossing approved for industrial zone

The Chinese government has approved a proposal to extend crossing hours for the Zhuhai-Macau Cross Border Industrial Zone. Non-resident workers and Macau residents will be allowed to cross the border between midnight and 7:00 a.m. whilst other border checkpoints in Macau are closed.
Lawmaker and member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Chan Meng Kam, had submitted a proposal to extend border crossing hours. That request was accepted in July but only released to the media this week.
According to the data provided by Chan Meng Kam and released by the Chinese media, the border had already been operating on a 24-hour basis, but only for companies that own offices in the industrial park. The lawmaker said that approximately 2,000 people cross the border on a daily basis, but added that when non-resident workers and Macau residents are included, the number will reach 10,000 daily.
Although the Chinese government has accepted Chan Meng Kam’s proposal, the lawmaker explained that there are still technical details to be addressed.
“There are still technical problems. What they mean by staff is: Macau residents who are working or studying or living in the mainland, and [this] also includes children who are studying in Macau and foreign workers in Macau. There might be no specific categorizations at the beginning, but we need to wait and see if the mainland police announces more [details],” he said, as quoted by TDM News.
So far, a tender for the necessary clearance has been opened but there is no timeframe for its completion, which might delay the implementation of a 24-hour border crossing.
Transportation to the Zhuhai-Macau Cross Border Industrial Zone is another obstacle; out of six bus routes operating in this area, none runs throughout the night. According to a TDM News report, the Transport Bureau has said that they will adjust some of the bus routes.