In a bid to help Mumbai residents to go to their native places in Konkan for Ganesh festival, Mumbai Police has now come up with e-pass for 'Ganesh Festival Travel'.
This year, Ganeshotsav will be celebrated against the backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic. Every year, lakhs of people from Mumbai travel to their hometowns in districts of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg for the festival.
This year, due to the pandemic state government has put several restrictions on interstate travel. However, the government has now relaxed the norm considering the upcoming festival.
The announcement was made by Transport Minister Anil Parab on Twitter.
How to get the Ganesh Festival Travel e-pass for private vehicles?
Go to the website - mumbaipolice.gov.in
Click on the link which is written with 'Emergency/Ganesh Festival Travel Permission'
Enter the required details
Documents needed:
Supporting Documents for Travelling Reason, RC Book of Vehicle, Driving License of Driver
Sign the self-declaration - "I, hereby, declare that my current place of residence is not inside a containment zone."
However, those who are travelling through the MSRTC buses will not have to procure mandatory e-passes for inter-district travel.
Minister of Transport Anil Parab, after his meeting with the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, said those who wanted to go to Konkan should reach there before August 12, and that they will be home quarantined for 10 days. The quarantine period has been reduced.
"Those who want to go to Konkan after August 12 for the festival should get their swabs tested 48 hours before their departure. They will be allowed to travel only if their report is negative and the report be submitted to authorities," the transport minister told reporters.
He said 3,000 state transport (ST) buses will be made available for Konkan travel, bookings for which will begin this evening on the MSRTC''s portal. One bus will ferry 22 people to ensure that social distancing norms are followed, he said.
"While those travelling by ST buses will not need e- passes, those opting for other modes of transport will have to procure such passes," Parab said.
He appealed to people to celebrate the Ganesh festival, beginning August 22, in a low-key manner.
Parab informed that Rs 550 crore has been approved for paying salaries of MSRTC staffers.
