Wary of quarantine time but many book flights to see family again

For some, this is finally an opportunity to go back home and check up on family and their well-being. “My parents stay alone in Bombay and they’re old. While they have been able to manage so far, I still want to be there for them and take care of them since I now have the opportunity to do so. They’re also worried about me as I stay alone here in the city, so this is a chance for both parties to finally see each other,” said Aishwarya, a resident.

Some add that family pressure has forced many living in Chennai to return to their hometowns, where the number of positive cases of is lesser.

However, the reunion is not very joyous for all. Some fear the extended quarantine periods when travelling to different states. “I will be going home to Kerala, where there is a two-week quarantine requirement. After that, once I come to Tamil Nadu, I will have to quarantine myself again for two more weeks. I work in Chennai and so this travel means that I will have to work from home for one more month, and I am unsure if my job will allow that,” said a 23-year-old working professional.

Acquiring the e-pass to travel across states is simple and many users say that the website has clear directions and is easy to navigate. Although there were some initial issues with a bug that prevented solo travellers from registering, this bug is now fixed.

“My father is travelling from Mumbai to Coimbatore. As far as I checked, flight ticket prices have doubled till May 31. There are enough options even for second-tier routes like Coimbatore. Rates are double of what we would usually pay, but I wouldn’t say it is unreasonably high. To give credit where it is due, the Centre’s price cap has come of great use,” said a resident of Bengaluru.