With a majority of applications are pending with authorities for clearance, officials hint at a possible extension to avoid the hassle
Ticket checking is likely to be lenient till a new deadline is issued. File pic/ Sayyed Sameer Abedi
With the last day to procure the QR passes ending on July 30, state government has decided to extend the deadline. While no new deadline has been issued, sources said the deadline is likely to be extended to August 10.
The decision was taken after a large number of essential workers have been left complaining that they were unable to procure the passes as the applications were still pending with the Mumbai police and related authorities with confusion on the exact date of the implementation.
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Officials hinted at a deadline extension saying given the delay in the issuance of passes, checks will be lenient till a new deadline is issued. "Those who have got the QR code passes can show them and those who haven't can continue to show the ID cards as earlier. We are waiting for further instructions from the Maharashtra government," a senior railway official said.
"Our applications are still pending. A lot of BMC employees too are waiting to get their pass. There's just too much confusion about when will the passes be issued," a worried bank official said.
Another commuter Bhau Jadhav said, "I haven't received the QR code to travel in locals as off yet. I called up the police pass office and was told it will take 2-3 more days for processing the QR code. Will railway staff allow us without the QR pass tomorrow?"
Moreover, many are still confused about the date from which the QR passes were to be checked. While the government circular categorically said July 30, a few who went to apply were told it would be mandatory from August 1, but no confirmation from was available anyone at an official level.
As first reported by mid-day, QR codes are being made mandatory to travel in locals. A circular by state chief secretary Sanjay Kumar stated QR code-based E-Pass would be mandatory for all essential workers to travel by locals.
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