Ease of travel

One of the most enabling aspects of Lockdown 4.0 that began on May 17 has been the partial restoration of public transport. The nationwide lockdown, imposed with just a four-hour warning on March 24 to contain the spread of coronavirus, took the people unawares. Though the subsequent extensions in lockdown came with graded relaxations in services and movement, those feeling the pinch the most have been the millions of people who found themselves stranded away from their homes. The story of almost every other house played out a common theme, underlying an urgency: there was a child or a parent or a sibling or a grandparent or a friend who found himself/herself stuck at a holiday spot (both abroad and domestic) or a college/workplace or a relative’s place, with limited means and resources, including essential medicines or medical care. The long and dreary trudge of the migrant labourers to their hometowns mirrors the frustration resulting from the double whammy of loss of jobs and wages and the grinding halt of trains, buses and planes.

However, sadly, the conditional opening of public transport has not translated into a smooth transition to an ease of movement for the common man, who has been counting his days to return home or to work. There is confusion galore as people grapple with travel permits from not only the state/district of exit, but also those of entry as rules vary at every border. Official apathy marked the flip-flop on initially restarting passenger trains and then revoking the decision, before announcing it again a few days later. Scant regard for the citizens’ desperation gave a fertile ground to unscrupulous elements, who had a field day fleecing passengers pining for space to sit even in a cement mixer.

Thankfully, as travel norms continue to be relaxed, more and more people are being accommodated. The latest to benefit are some categories of OCI card holders stranded abroad. As they ready to embark on their journey home, ‘Vande Bharat Mission’officials need to direct their attention to the domestic sector. The millions marooned within the country too must be facilitated. It’s time to do away with the travel curbs.