E-passes a click away for essential service workers in West Bengal

KOLKATA: Police commissioner Anuj Sharma on Saturday launched the e-verification portal for essential services to ensure the service providers get the passes without physically visiting police stations.
“The police commissioner launched the e-pass facility for essential services and online delivery services. All you need to do is to go to the link and fill up your detail.You will receive your e-pass on your email. This pass can be pasted on your vehicle,” said joint CP (crime) Murlidhar Sharma. Police have also provided two emergency numbers where people can call up and seek any clarification about the process.
Traders have welcomed the move but have raised a few practical issues. “We were having problems reaching the wholesale and retail markets. This will hopefully stop all confusion. However, a small vendor from Noth 24 Parganas or Nadia might not have all the documents to support him. We need to ascertain which documents to be uploaded to get this pass,” said Tapesh Saha, a trader at Sealdah.
Though the scene has improved in the past 48 hours, suppliers have been complaining that cops were stopping their vehicles, especially empty ones that were on their way to fetch goods. Supply chain workers are scared to report to work, they had claimed. On two occasions earlier, Kolkata Police had to call up their counterparts in Dankuni and Burdwan and ask them to release supply vehicles. The suppliers said they were hoping these passes are introduced across the state.
Cops have explained that five categories of people will receive the e-passes. This will include those on emergency duty, those on duty for essential supplies of food, groceries and medicine and those involved with e-commerce delivery. “The user is free to fix his route. But once the e-pass comes through, he cannot stray beyond his designated routes. Our naka checks will ensure that,” explained an officer at Lalbazar.
Cops have worked out the logistical issues accompanying three critical sectors — groceries, medicine and e-commerce. Each police station has asked people from these sectors to write a letter to them, seeking permission to operate in their respective areas for those not availing the online service.
According to Lalbazar, desparate calls from citizens — especially the aged — had prompted them to take a more hands-on approach.
Apart from Kolkata Police, e-passes were also introduced by Diamond Harbour police on Saturday. It is being distributed through WhatsApp across 11 police station areas, including Rabindranagar, Maheshtala, Bishnupur, Diamond Harbour, Usthi and Mograhat.
(With inputs from Monotosh Chakraborty)