The news of her father’s passing away reached Shankari*, who lives in Villupuram district, at 6.30 one evening in April this year. Her father had been suffering from a prolonged illness and died due to a sudden cardiac arrest. A shocked and weeping Shankari asked her son Shiva* to apply for an e-pass to reach Chennai, where her father lived. Shiva submitted the details on the Tamil Nadu government’s official e-pass website, providing death as the reason for applying.
The family of four, while waiting for the e-pass, simultaneously arranged for a car to take them to Chennai. However, they did not receive a confirmation the whole night and were forced to travel with just the e-pass application and a photo of Shankari’s dad taken after his demise.
Only two days later did they receive an email saying that their e-pass was rejected. Shiva said, “We waited the whole night to get the e-pass. However, as hours went by we couldn’t handle the situation, we wanted to leave immediately to Chennai. My father went to the police station and asked about the details of the e-pass, they told him to travel with a copy of the application form.”
This is not the first time that an e-pass for essential travel needs has been rejected. According to the government e-pass website, a person can get an e-pass in case of a wedding, medical emergency, death of a close relative, government tender bidding, ongoing government work, or if someone is stranded.
However, e-passes for death and other valid reasons continue to get rejected, e-pass applicants said.
Kaja Moideen, who hails from Chennai, was living in Krishnagiri as he was running a business in Hosur. One day in June end, he suddenly collapsed in his room. A day later, the police reached him and admitted him to a government hospital and alerted the family.
Kaja’s friend Divan said, “His condition did not improve and doctors told the family members to take him home. While he was being brought back to Chennai in an ambulance, he breathed his last. The ambulance brought his body to Chennai. His sister in Tirupur tried to reach Chennai to see him but her e-pass was rejected.”
“The local officials in Tirupur told her to get a signature from a Village Administration Officer. However, it was 2 am and so it wasn’t possible. I told her to come without an e-pass since it was an emergency. Throughout the way to Chennai, she had to play the video of her brother’s corpse to officials who stopped her at toll gates, it was just heartbreaking,” he said.
Not just for deaths, even people stranded without jobs and food are also finding it difficult to get a travel pass. The stranded family members remain stuck, even after four months in some cases.
Abinesh* was left alone at home in Chennai while his wife Ananya* and their two children went to Tiruvannamalai to visit her parents. Ananya and the kids were not able to return home after the lockdown was announced and Abinesh was stranded in Chennai. He applied over 10 times for an e-pass but his application was rejected every time.
“Abinesh doesn’t know cooking. When they closed restaurants and eateries, his struggle began. He applied for an e-pass 10 times but in vain. Also I went to Tiruvannamalai only to stay for a short while, so I didn’t have all the things I needed nor some requirements for the baby. However, Abinesh’s friends got the e-pass through illegal means and were able to travel,” Ananya said.
The delay in getting the e-pass has forced some people to take the illegal route, either by travelling without an e-pass or by allegedly getting e-passes by bribing government officials or through agents.
According to the e-pass data released for the month of July by the Greater Chennai Corporation, the Tamil Nadu government received 4,63,618 requests for emergency e-pass on the official website. Of these, the government approved 1,53,583 and rejected 3,09,469 e-passes. The government reserved decision on 566 e-passes.
Shiva recounted, “We went for my grandfather’s death and returned the same day. However, we received an email for the rejected e-pass only after two days. We didn’t want to break the rules but the delay in the communication forced us to travel without an e-pass.”
However, he said, “As we entered Chennai, the police asked us for the e-pass and we just showed the application form. He was hesitant to let us into the city but we showed him a picture of my grandfather and requested him. He said he was allowing us only because it was a death. I also gave him the contact of a sub-inspector in my hometown, that’s how we were able to enter the city.”
For people who are stranded without a job, getting an e-pass has become imperative. Divan said, “My relative applied for an e-pass to go back to his hometown as he lost his job and didn’t have money to survive in Chennai. His application got rejected a few times, so he tried to get it through an agent but they asked him to pay Rs 8,000 for it. He remains stranded in Chennai because he is unable to get the e-pass and agents are swindling money from those in need.”
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday said that the e-pass system would continue in the state and that the restrictions put in place have resulted in the number of cases in Madurai to gradually reduce. He also announced that an additional team will be set up in each district to double the issuance of e-passes.
The CM’s announcement came a day after Opposition leader and DMK chief MK Stalin asked the government to cancel the e-pass system. In a tweet, Stalin alleged that there is corruption due to the opacity surrounding the issuing of e-passes in the state.
On Saturday, the Madras High Court also asked the Tamil Nadu government to seriously look into the complaints about officials taking money for issuing e-pass. Justices N Kirubakaran and VM Velumani mentioned that there have been many allegations about brokers who charge Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 to provide e-passes.