Lockdown 4.0 comes with a new website, developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), where people can apply for e-passes to have access to some Indian states. At present, the website facilitates e-passes to only 17 states. Those in the list include Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Tripura, Sikkim, Bihar, Puducherry, Haryana, Nagaland, Odisha, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
The launching of the new website doesn’t necessarily imply that anyone can travel, for any purpose to the 17 listed states. Those applying for the passes need to state the reason for travel, clearly, as passes are granted only for categories such as students, pilgrims, essential service providers, emergency travel, etc. They will also need to provide necessary proofs to substantiate their movement.
To secure an e-pass, you have to follow the steps listed below-
1. Visit the link http://serviceonline.gov.in/epass/#
2. Select the state, for which you need a pass.
3. You will then be redirected to the website of the desired state.
4. You will find a list of services such as e-pass for interstate stranded persons, e-pass for essential services and e-pass for delivery of essential commodities. Click on the category, which your travel purpose falls in.
5. After phone number verification, you will receive an OTP on the registered mobile number.
6. Upload all the necessary details.
7. Your application will be reviewed by the concerned officials, and if your purpose of movement falls into the categories allowed, your application will be processed.
8. If you are granted a pass, an SMS will be sent to you, along with a link. Click on the link to download the pass.
9. You should also download the Aarogya Setu app from google play store, to avoid inconveniences while commuting, as the e-pass will show up in the application as well.
While filling in the details, you may need to upload scanned copies of relevant documents. Necessary documents may vary from state to state. You will need to produce either the soft copy or the hard copy of the e-pass at borders.