Chief Minister MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government has on Saturday announced complete lockdown in the state owing to peaking cases of the COVID-19 pandemic. The complete lockdown will be imposed from May 10 and the government has banned intra and inter-district transportations during the course of the lockdown. The fresh episode of the lockdown has come exactly a day after MK Stalin sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.  

The drive of the complete lockdown will come to effect at 4 am on May 10 and will be in force till 4 am on May 24. The lockdown will add the ban on intra-district transportation and a complete shutdown of TASMAC outlets to the list of existing restrictions. With the view of letting people get prepared for the lockdown from stocking the essentials and making necessary arrangements, the government has announced that all shops and establishments, including salons and spas, will stay open from 6 am to 9 pm on Saturday and Sunday (May 8 and May 9) across the state. 

One of the major restrictions in the lockdown is that the ban on intra and inter-district transportation. The government has announced that all the private and public transportations will not be operating between the districts during the lockdown period. The order has also imposed a ban on taxis and autos to ply across the state. People who are traveling for emergency purposes from May 10 can't be using the private and government buses and rather, they will be relying on private vehicles for their movements during the lockdown. 

As the government has banned private and public transportations, it has stirred a question of whether people have to apply and acquire E-pass for their vehicles for moving between the districts. The E-pass method was in force last year during the previous government had imposed the lockdown. People's movements were monitored and only essential movements were allowed to ply. The previous government has mandated the people to apply for E-pass for moving between the districts and the passes were granted only for people who disclose valid reasons like medical emergencies, marriages, and deaths. 

However, the current order of lockdown, which will come into force on May 10, has clarified that the people are not required to apply for and acquire such E-pass for moving between the districts during the lockdown period. The order has highlighted that the people can use their private vehicles to travel between the districts but they would be mandated to have a valid certificate and reason for traveling.

According to reports, the people who are traveling between districts for the events like weddings, funerals, job interviews, and medical emergencies can travel with adequate proof and certificates. On the other hand, the government has mandated that the people who are traveling to Tamil Nadu from other regions including other states and countries to acquire a permit before entering the state. It will applicable for people entering Tamil Nadu regardless of their form of transport. 

The government order has said that the E-registration will continue to be in place to surveil and monitor the people who are arriving in Tamil Nadu from other states and countries through rail and air. They need to register their details prior to entering the state and they need to show the train and flight tickets if they travelling to a railway station or an airport in the state. For E-registration, please visit (https://eregister.tnega.org). 

You have to enter your mobile number after which you will be sent with an OTP. Upon entering the OTP, you will be directed to the E-registration portal in which you have to choose whether are arriving in Tamil Nadu from other states or other countries. You will then have to mention the reason for your travel and have to disclose any one of your ID proofs. According to the latest reports, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered the government and private hours to operate for 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday with the view of letting people move to their hometowns before the lockdown. Earlier, buses were not functional during the night hours from 10 pm to 4 am in the wake of the night curfew.