Car purchase no longer easy in Shenzhen(1/6)

Car purchasers and dealers queue up to get documents notarized at an exhibition center in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong province, Jan 5, 2015. Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, has joined other seven cities including Beijing and Shanghai to introduce a car purchasing restriction. The policy requires prospective buyers to acquire new car plates by lottery or auction amid efforts to tackle congestion and air pollution. Car deals made before the policy went into force at 6 p.m. on Dec 29, 2014 also need to be notarized in order to get plates. There are more than 3.1 million vehicles in Shenzhen and four million are expected in 2016, which will prolong the average evening traffic commute from 55 minutes in 2014 to 92 minutes in 2016, according to a municipal government statement. [Photo/CFP]