Residents struggle as e-registration site not updated

Residents struggle as e-registration site not updated

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  16.06.2021 

Several relaxations in lockdown norms including availing services at government offices and banks have been announced, but residents of Chennai and its suburbs have been unable to apply for e-registration on the official portal to be able to make use of these services.

Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) began accepting driving licence and learner’s licence applications, but that option is not available on the list of reasons allowed to commute within Chennai city or from neighbouring districts.

Similarly, there is no option to travel in case of visa appointments. R Sundararajan, a native of Bengaluru, plans to travel to Chennai on June 17 (Thursday) for his daughter’s US student visa appointment, but has not been able to apply for e-registration. “There is no such option available for travelling to Chennai for the said reason,” he said.

T Sadagopan, a residentactivist from Avadi, said hundreds of working professionals from private and government sectors had shifted their residences from core city to suburban areas in the recent past. “It is common knowledge that getting addresses changed in government ID proof documents is not easy in Tamil Nadu. So these people still have to travel to the city for banks and ration shops (to avail food items and ₹2,000 incentive),” he said.

A senior official in the revenue and disaster management department said no e-registration is required for intra-district travel to government offices.

However, residents from western suburbs, particularly Pattabiram or Thirunindravur, say that every time they cross the Avadi border, police ask for e-registration documents. Even when Avadi falls under Greater Chennai Police (GCP) limit, the law enforcers seek e-registration documents because technically it is located in the revenue district of Tiruvallur.

V Gokul of Adambakkam said there was no clarity on whether passengers needed e-registration even if they booked a cab (Ola or Uber) to reach his optical shop in Nanganallur.

“There was no proper response from the helpline. So the driver and I registered separately to avoid trouble. Such duplications can be avoided if there is better clarity from the government. Besides, the online server is getting crashed frequently during working hours as site traffic increases manifold. This too needs to be addressed,” he said.

A senior official in the revenue and disaster management department said no e-registration is required for intra-district travel to government offices