THE City police have denied permission to 11,044 persons who had submitted applications for e-passes to travel within State or out of State. Similarly, the police have booked a whopping 600 motorists for travelling without e-pass since April 23.

 

As part of the lockdown imposed in the State, e-passes were made necessary for inter-district as well as inter-state travel. Maharashtra Police had started issuing e-passes from April 22 to stop unnecessary travel while tackling the second wave of COVID-19.

 

As per data, since April 23, Nagpur Police received a total of 21,227 applications for granting of e-pass. Of them, while 11,044 (55.90 per cent) applications were rejected, 9,361 (44.09 per cent) e-passes were issued. Out of the total issued passes, 6,739 (71.99 per cent) were issued for inter-district movement while 2,185 (28.01 per cent) were issued for inter-state movement (out of Maharashtra).

 

Sources claimed that some applicants did not have an essential reason or emergency to travel and hence they failed to upload necessary documents. The police identify this during scrutiny of the application and deny permission to travel.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Amitesh Kumar told ‘The Hitavada’ that applications without proper supporting documents were rejected during scrutiny. The rejection percentage is more than the percentage of approval.

 

The Police Commissioner further said that passes are being issued only when the travel is essential under the mandated protocol of the government. “The e-passes are mandatory for inter-district or inter-state travel,” he said. People must have a valid reason to travel and it should be supported by valid documents to travel. Otherwise, unnecessary loitering and travelling is not allowed,” the CP warned.

 

“We are trying to enforce this through e-passes and people travelling without e-passes are being booked. I appeal to people to not travel unnecessarily and travel only when it is essential and travel only after their e-passes are issued,” Kumar added.

 

Till the curbs are lifted, at present proposed to be lifted on June 1 as per the latest decision by the government, people travelling to other districts or outside Maharashtra will be required to obtain an e-pass.