PUNE: Joint commissioner of Pune police Ravindra Shisve has said that from Monday (June 7), no e-pass will be needed for inter-district travel.
An e-pass will, however, be required to enter an area or district marked as level 4 or 5 in the state guidelines.
Shisve said no e-pass is required for movement within Pune city from 7am to 5pm, adding that non-essential travel is not allowed from 5pm to 7am.
“We will follow all guidelines issued by the state government and policies formulated by the PMC,” he said.
“A person travelling from Pune to a level 4 or 5 area/district will have to apply for an e-pass, which will be granted as per assessment of travel purpose,” Shisve told TOI on Sunday.
He said no e-pass is required to travel to level 1 or 3 areas or districts.
Citizens can apply for an e-pass at covid19.mhpolice.in.
The move is in line with the state government’s fivelevel unlocking plan that is based on a district’s weekly positivity rate (WPR) and Covid bed occupancy.
A level 4 or 5 classification suggests a district or area still has a high WPR and bed occupancy.
No e-pass for inter-dist trips, curbs stay on after 5pmThe PMC and the PCMC have already issued orders allowing shops and establishments to stay open from 7am to 4pm.
“An hour-long grace period will be given to ensure people can return home.
From 5pm onwards, a nakabandi will be in place to see there is no movement without valid purpose,” Shisve said, adding that citizens have been urged to stay home and not take vehicles out after 5pm for non-essential travel.
“People can travel for emergency purposes.
Citizens are requested to cooperate at checkpoints.
Night curfew will remain in place,” Shisve said.
On crowd management, he said nakabandi will not be in place for an hour after 4pm.
“We anticipate a fairly large number of vehicles on the roads during this time as people will need to get back home from offices or businesses.
Shops will have to shut at 4pm.
We will be on patrol along with PMC officials,” he said.
In PMC areas, officials said manpower is being diverted to ensure that Covid norms such as social distancing and masking are being followed by citizens and those running businesses.
Rule-breakers will be fined, they said.
Officials also said the civic body has allowed police authorities to take action against rule-breakers.
However, some rights of charging fines and issuing of notices have been retained by the civic administration.
“Flying squads have been formed to take action.
They have been assigned duties as per the ward offices.
Even the head office of the anti-encroachment department will monitor and initiate action against traders or customers found breaking Covid rules,” said Madhav Jagtap, head of the PMC’s anti-encroachment department.
In PCMC areas, to avoid overcrowding at marketplaces, police and civic officials said they plan to allow shops to operate on alternate days.
PCMC commissioner Rajesh Patil said, “For major market areas, we have decided to implement the odd-even shop opening rules.
Necessary changes to the rule will be made if we find that it’s not yielding results.” He said teams have been formed to ensure Covid norms are not broken.
Ramnath Pokale, additional commissioner of police, Pimpri Chinchwad, said most sectors will be open from Monday.
But curbs will continue and people will have to be careful, he said.