Chennai’s Anna Salai, an arterial road, witnessed chaotic scenes on Tuesday morning, owing to new rules imposed by the city police overnight. In a bid to effectively implement lockdown restrictions, the Greater Chennai Police late on Monday night issued orders making e-registration mandatory for persons travelling from one police station limits to another from Tuesday, May 18.
Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal issued orders to tighten restrictions by creating checkpoints at 13 places in 12 police districts in Chennai. The 12 police districts include Flower Bazar, Washermenpet, Madhavaram, Pulianthope, Anna Nagar, Ambattur,Kilpauk, Triplicane, Mylapore, St Thomas Mount, Adyar and T Nagar. The police station limits will be further divided into 348 sectors and the roads will be barricaded. The order said, "The restrictions are such that the public cannot travel from one police limit to another without e-pass."
The late night order led to confusion across several roads in the city, with residents caught unawares as they attempted to cross the police limits without the mandatory e-pass. Police were seen stopping motorists, with those without e-passes made to return home.
சாலைகளில் தவிக்கும் சென்னைவாசிகளின் நிலை மிகவும் மோசமாக இருக்கிறது. இ-பதிவு கட்டுப்பாடுகளும், விதிகளும் குழப்பத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது. மாநகராட்சி, காவல்துறை உடனே தெளிவுபடுத்த வேண்டும்.. @chennaipolice_ @chennaicorp pic.twitter.com/CAAF2eyojv
— Mahalingam Ponnusamy (@mahajournalist) May 18, 2021
The 340 sector confusion on road. pic.twitter.com/ZEMVRK8LLM
— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) May 18, 2021
Chaos!
— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) May 18, 2021
This was the scene at Mount Road- Spencer Plaza signal. Police checking if commuters have E-Registration to travel from one sector to another, which is from one police station limit to another.
Chennai has been divided into 348 sectors. #Lockdown #Chennai pic.twitter.com/lV1JEABAys
Tamil Nadu now makes e-registration compulsory for any kind of travel within the state or to the state. Persons can apply for an e-pass on https://eregister.tnega.org/#/user/pass
E Registration is granted for three categories:
- Individual/Group travel via road - this includes inter district and intra district
- Individual/Group coming to Tamil Nadu via flight or train
- Commercial establishments/ organisations/ traders/ financial companies
According to the website, those travelling for funerals, elderly care, and medical emergencies are granted an e-pass.
However, people under quarantine in 181 containment zones are warned against traveling and necessary action will be taken if they break the quarantine, the release from Chennai police said. All essential products will be delivered to them at their door steps, it added. An exemption for e-pass will be provided only in case of emergency medical treatment and for unavoidable situations, it said.