Much publicised e-pass service, issuance of manual pass and help-lines by Jammu administration turned out to be mere eyewash with people seen running helter skelter for assistance. Instead of helping out needy during the ongoing gloomy times of pandemic, DC Office cum Jammu administration helplines are of no use to the people, as they find themselves let down instead of getting any sort of assistance.


Taking cognizance of the overwhelming complaints, carried out a reality check at DC Office and recorded the experiences of suffering of people, which is available on website www.statetimes.in.

On entering the DC office complex here, the disillusionment of the people was discernible by the fact that a large number of them were standing for long durations to get passes for their onward journey to their respective destinations. They were not the first time visitors to DC office as they had been visiting the complex for the past several days. Despite knocking the doors of designated authorities, they have not been getting any response.

A father of newly born baby who is resident of Doda said that he has been visiting the DC office for the past 4 days for issuance of pass but the officials kept dodging him, saying he will be intimated about the status of his request. His wife has been discharged from hospital and they have nowhere to go in the winter capital. As a consequence, the couple and the new born, are in real pitiable situation due to uncertainty about their journey back home.

“I got no intimation till date and this is fourth consecutive day of my visit to this office without any success”, he said with tears in his eyes. He said the ambulance operator is demanding Rs 17000 fare for Doda which he can’t afford.

” I have applied for e-pass more than 20 times and till date I haven’t got any response from the administration” a student licking dust in DC office said. He said that he along with his group fulfilled the mandatory protocol in the hospital but they are yet to get any passes.

“In other states and UTs, administration had arranged buses and other services for students and labourers, but Union Territory of J&K there is no such provision available to return home”, he said adding that helpline numbers provided by the administration are not being attended and no mails replied.

Dalep Singh, a labourer said that he had applied for an e-pass 10 days ago but got no response till date while a woman Rintin from Machail with her ailing mother is also desperately struggling for the pass.