With the State government relaxing the system to issue e-passes, trade and industry here expect that worker turnout at industries and businesses will increase.
According to data available, 7,938 applications were filed in the district under the work related travel category on August 17 and 18, and all were approved. For business related travel, 2,182 applications were filed and, except one all were approved. In the case of applications for guest workers returning here, 18 were approved and 50 are pending.
District Collector K. Rajamani said e-passes for inter-district travel of individuals for death, marriage and medical emergency are approved under automatic route. In the case of industrial e-passes and passes for inter-State travel even of individuals, the approval is given by the district administration and it is given with caution.
“With the new system, workers within the State will start returning to industries in larger numbers. Now, we should facilitate workers from other States also returning,” said president of Coimbatore District Small Industries Association K. Ramamurthy.
The construction sector saw a large number of workers returning to Coimbatore on Monday and Tuesday, said a leading builder here.
According to C. Sivakumar, president of Coimbatore and Tiruppur District Tiny and Micro Enterprises Association, small business operators who need to travel to Perundurai, Erode or Palladam from Coimbatore are able to do so now without hassle. Almost all the local workers have returned to workplaces in the district. In the case of guest workers, the transport cost works out to minimum ₹6,500 per person, even if the pass in available. Not all industries can afford this amount. Hence, the government should consider operating at least a few special trains.
S. Surulivel, president of Railway Suppliers’ Association, said the feedback from the industries had been positive for the last two days. “Every one who applied have got the pass. This helps the industries for regular movement to nearby districts,” he said.