Tamil Nadu Introduces EPass For Hill Station Entry
Tamil Nadu announced on Sunday the launch of a registration portal to get an ePass for entry to the Nilgiris or Kodaikanal hill stations from 7 May to 30 June, as ordered by the Madras High Court.
Registrations on the portal – https://epass.tnega.org/ – will begin at 6 a.m. on Monday. Tourists and commercial vehicles must have an e-Pass. The number of ePasses that can be issued for those who visit the two mountain stations will not be limited.
M. Aruna, Nilgiris Collector, said details like the vehicle type, number of guests, duration, place of stay and so on will be required to obtain an ePass that is automatically generated. She said that residents of Nilgiris with vehicles registered out-of-district should go to the Regional Transport Office at Udhagamandalam in order to obtain passes for their cars.
Why is e-Pass mandatory for entering Nilgiris and Kodaikanal?
Dindigul district collector M.N. Poongodi said on Sunday that those who intend to visit Kodaikanal from 7 May to 30 June can get an e-pass if they access the website – epass.tnega.org. The site will be active from Monday, May 6.
The Collector stated in a statement to the press that the district administration had made preparations for the issuance of e-passes by the district administration. This was done following an order from the Madras High Court.
The tourist pass is not required for those who travel by public transportation.
The Collector clarified that the public might not be able visit the mountain station or that there could be obstacles. To get an e-pass the applicant must provide certain information, such as their name, the number of people travelling with them, type of vehicle, and place of residence, all from the mobile phone.
The ePass can be obtained by foreign tourists who fill out the details via mail.
Silver Cascade Checkpoint; Three types of electronic passes
Silver Cascade will be the checking point for incoming vehicles. The Collector has therefore appealed for the public to work with officials and keep the details ready to ensure a smooth journey.
The e-pass will be checked by officials from the transport department, police and Kodaikanal Municipality.
Details will be provided by the QR code on the card, and Transport Department is responsible for maintaining the records until June 30, 2019.
Three different colors will be available for the e-pass. Local residents will receive a green-coloured pass. Blue colour passes will be issued to those who are carrying farm products and essential goods, and purple color passes for tourists.
Release added that local residents could obtain an e-pass if they provided the information only one time and did not need to repeat the process until June 30.
What is the Online Application Process for TN ePass?
TNeGA used the portal epass.tnega.org to issue COVID travel permits a few year ago. Under the Madras High Court’s direction, the same website was repurposed to issue electronic passes for Kodaikanal & Ooty. What you must do to download the PDF pass and apply for it successfully is outlined below.
Step 1: Sign in to the TNeGA ePass site
Applicants should first choose the appropriate login option: “Outside India”, or “Within India”, and then move on to the respective webpage. Travellers from India or union states can sign up using their email address, but foreigners should instead use the mobile number they use to verify OTP and access the TN ePass dashboard.
Step 2: Select a category of pass from the dashboard
The Tamil Nadu ePass site offers three different pass types. You can choose the first option if you plan to travel to more than one location in Nilgiri. This will give you access to Ooty as well as Masinagudi and Coonoor in one ticket. Kodaikanal is the second tab and it’s for Kodaikanal. Localite is the last option for those who frequent these places and travel frequently, particularly if they do not have an Nilgiri RTO local plate, TN43. Localites are able to register for one time at an RTO and receive a green card valid from May through June.
Step 3: Register and obtain TN ePass after providing visitor details (addresses, vehicles, stays, etc.)
Click on the Pass Type and Destination to proceed with the registration. Details such as Name, Address, Travel Duration, Transport Type (Fuel, Year of Purchase, Make), Number of Persons traveling with you, and Accommodation (where applicable) are required. Click on Submit to create your TN ePass. The process takes only a few seconds. Your Purple pass will be sent to you. It is for temporary visits in Ooty and Kodaikanal as well as the entire Nilgiris.
WebLink
If necessary, check the status of your e Pass and re-download if needed.
The epass.tnega.org site will save your pass once it is approved. Use the “Previous passes” tab on the fourth tab to view the validity of your Nilgiris e-passes. You will also find a button to download the pass in case for some reason you need it again.
You can apply to the Tamil Nadu eGA Portal for an Ooty or Kodaikanal Pass. Print out this ePass, and present it to the officials at the checkpoint along with ID proofs for a smooth travel.