Tamil Nadu relaxes E-pass rules for inter-district travel

File pic: Zee News

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has decided to relax E-pass rules for inter-district travel and it will be issued for all applicants without scrutiny. 

Applicants need to submit their Aadhar card Id/ration card details along with phone numbers to apply for the E-pass. Those who submit their applications with the above details will be issued the pass.

Earlier only those with valid reasons like marriage, health emergency, official reasons, bereavement etc. were issued E-pass after intense scrutiny. 

Opposition parties and the ruling parties' allies had criticized the restrictions and asked the government to relax the norms. Tamil Nadu is among the states that continue to use E-pass system for inter-district and inter-state travel.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today also flagged off LED screen mounted vehicles to broadcast short films and launched a drive to distribute pamphlets, both initiatives to create awareness on coronavirus among the people in Chennai.

CM Palaniswami inaugurated the awareness campaign by 30 small size cargo vans with big screens, an initiative of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

Under this initiative, two vehicles would be deployed in each of the 15 zones of the city, a government release said.

The Chief Minister's address on virus awareness, and short films from the Health department and GCC would be broadcast to help people understand better about the pathogen and stay safe by following norms.

Palaniswami launched a drive to distribute awareness pamphlets to people on COVID-19, dengue, and the need for rainwater harvesting structures in view of the onset of monsoon.

Of the 3.20 lakh people who have tested positive for COVID-19 so far in Tamil Nadu, 1.13 lakh were from Chennai as on Thursday.