MADURAI
The district administration has approved a total of 312 out of the total 2,312 e-pass applications here on Tuesday from residents of other districts in Tamil Nadu looking to make their way back to Madurai before the intensified lockdown begins.
A source said several applications were received from Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi and other southern districts. A majority were from Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram and Dindigul.
Approvals were provided only in case of medical emergencies, deaths or funerals.
Many looking to come back to the district before the lockdown to join places of work and stay with their families during the lockdown said that they cannot come back until June 30. They said they are likely to apply for more number of times.
M. Selvam, a research scientist working at Indian Institute of Technology (Madras), said he applied to go back to his house in Madurai on Sunday as his father fell ill. The news of the lockdown and his e-pass rejection reached him on Monday. "I was not told of any reason for the rejection," he said.
A journalist, who has to join a new job at a Tamil newspaper on Wednesday, said he too was unable to procure a pass to Madurai. "I have appealed again. Let us hope it is approved," he said.
Several residents from Tiruchi, Dindigul, Sivaganga and Nagercoil arrived at the Collectorate, hoping to find a way back to their hometowns before the lockdown.
S. Nachiketan and N. Rajalakshmi, a couple residing in Madurai who wished to go to Srirangam, their hometown, said their e-pass was rejected from the district administration.
“We are writing to the administration in Madurai to consider our case and forward our application as urgent as we have a young child and want to go back to our hometown,” he said.
Collector T. G. Vinay said that they are tightening the reins around approval of passes keeping in mind the spread of COVID-19.
“We are exercising caution and only allowing genuine cases at the moment,” he said.
