China is to expand its transport ministry to improve efficiency and avoid a repeat of the traffic chaos caused by the snow before this year's Spring Festival.

A government reshuffle announced by State Councilor Hua Jianmin to a parliament session said the new department under the State Council, or the Cabinet, will incorporate the current Ministry of Communications, the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the section of urban traffic management under the Ministry of Construction.

The "super" ministry will also take over the State Post Bureau from the Ministry of Information Industry, Hua said, when outlining details to nearly 3,000 deputies to the National People's Congress.

The reorganization is aimed at establishing a "convenient, smooth, efficient, safe and integrated traffic system," said Hua, who is also secretary general of the cabinet.

The new ministry will be responsible for the layouts, policies and standards of the development of highways, waterways and civil aviation, he said. A state bureau of civil aviation will be set up under the new ministry, he said.

The new ministry will cover road, water and air transit, but not railways. The Ministry of Railways will be kept because of "the special needs in building and managing railways," said Hua.

Millions of passengers were caught up in the chaos caused by severe storms when they were on their way home for this year's Spring Festival.