Special counters at border checkpoints to ‘fast forward’ returnees’ verification

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has opened special counters at interstate border checkpoints to facilitate the quick verification of the details of people returning from other states and their hassle-free entry to the home state. The fast-forward counters, as they have been named, will also help ease congestion at the border checkpoints.
“We have opened the fast-forward counters for those returnees, who had already registered themselves and their vehicles’ details with the state government’s Covid-19 portal,” state transport commissioner Sanjeeb Panda said.
The objective of setting up these fast-forward counters is to prevent the pre-registered returnees from facing harassment at the border checkpoints. “The checkpoints have been flooded with both registered and unregistered persons in vehicles. Those who were registered with the government portal were forced to stand in queues along with the non-registered returnees for verification. The fast-forward counters have been opened to segregate the registered returnees from the non-registered ones,” another transport official said.
The other counters will expedite the on-the-spot registration of vehicles and returnees, who did not enrol themselves with the government’s Covid-19 portal. Sources said at least 400 persons (both registered and unregistered) from other states have been entering Odisha via 12 designated interstate border checkpoints following stringent verifications.
The state government on Wednesday issued revised guidelines to police and transport officials to decongest the border checkpoints. “It has been observed that the registration of returnees, who have not pre-registered themselves with the government portal, is causing congestion at the border checkpoints. Therefore, the registration of individual returnees may not be insisted upon. However, the registration of vehicles with details of drivers, their driving licence number, total number of passengers travelling and final destinations is mandatory,” read a circular issued by special relief commissioner and additional chief secretary to government (disaster management) Pradeep Jena to the district administrations on Wednesday.
The duplicate copies of vehicle entry passes will be printed. While the first copy of the pass will be affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle, the driver will carry the second copy of the pass and submit it to the officials at the destination reception centre. Drivers and conductors cannot allow passengers to alight anywhere other than the end destination where government officials would be waiting for them for verification. Upon violation, drivers and conductors will face legal action, the circular said. Notably, there had been some instances of returnees getting off he buses at random places, thereby making it difficult for the authorities to trace them.