The Assam government has decided to allow inter-district movement for a period of three days to help those stranded in different parts of the state because of the coronavirus lockdown. Nearly one lakh people have been issued passes for the "conditional" movement, health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told NDTV.
"This movement will be strictly on the basis of the guidelines of the Union Home Ministry, and special passes will be issued by each of the district authorities after verification of the applications," he said.
The government has opened a three-day window - April 25, 26 and 27 - to allow those who want to go to their homes. Employees who want to reach their districts of posting, and patients who need to go to hospitals on referral, have also been issued the passes.
Migrant workers stranded because of the coronavirus lockdown have also been allowed to go to their hometowns within the state.
Over 51,000 intrastate travel passes have been given to those who will travel from their personal cars; 12,000 out of the total will travel on April 25.
41,000 people with no personal vehicles have also been issued the passes. To facilitate their travel the state will run Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) buses free of cost.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the three-week nationwide lockdown on March 24 to check the spread of the virus, which has so far killed over 700 in the country. Most of the businesses across the country have been shut since, the means of transport banned and movement of people severely restricted.
The lockdown had also led to a humanitarian crisis as lakhs of migrant workers across the country were left without jobs and money.
The centre has allowed some selected economic activities in non-hotspot areas from April 20. It has also allowed workers to travel within the state. Migrant workers who wish to return to their places of work within the state where they are presently located must be screened for coronavirus, it had said.
Assam has reported 35 coronavirus cases, including one death.
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