One section of the society that has been badly affected by the outbreak of the current pandemic is the travelling public. Gone are the days when a person could suddenly decide on a journey to his native place in another state, pack his bag and proceed to the railway station to catch his train. The worst that could happen to him was that he would have to travel in an overcrowded compartment without reservation. There was always the possibility that an obliging TTE could find a vacant berth on the way and offer it to him, usually at the cost of a few extra rupees. If the journey was urgent, he could always contact a travel agent, get an air ticket and reach his destination in a few hours. If his presence was not required for a long period, he could return the next day. The relatives would welcome him with open hands.
The outbreak of the current pandemic has changed all that. First there was a complete lockdown, when all kinds of movement of people and goods across the country were brought to a grinding halt. Those engaged in the tourism business became jobless overnight, and some even changed their profession to earn their livelihood.
Later, the gradual unlocking helped only to throw everyone into confusion. People, apprehensive of contracting the disease while coming into contact with others during a travel, preferred to venture out only if it was unavoidable. The usual train services were replaced by special trains with only reserved accommodation and reduced number of passengers. Most of the taxis, auto-rikshaws and private buses went off the road, as the number of passengers allowed was restricted, making it uneconomical to ply their trade. Employees and businessmen who used to commute to their places of work were forced to form groups and hire private vehicles, exposing them to the risk of contracting the disease.
The air services were equal sufferers. If you planned a journey to another state, you had to carry an e-pass from the state you were travelling from and a test report which showed that you were Covid negative. You had to follow several other protocols like wearing a mask, getting thermal screening before boarding a flight and at arrival, and downloading the Arogya Setu App on your mobile phone. Since inflight meals were not provided, you also had to carry your own food and water.
While the central government issued guidelines about travelling, the state governments made their own rules, depending on the severity of the disease in their states. On arrival, a traveler could be whisked away to an isolation centre and compelled to remain there for varying periods. It could be home quarantine or institutional.
There were many who used to enjoy travelling by road with the whole family, especially during vacations, halting at tourist spots on the way. Now, even on occasions like deaths, when the presence of the whole family is expected, one is forced to undertake the journey by the quickest means available, alone. To add insult to injury, when you reach the destination, you are looked upon as a carrier of a load of corona virus and shunned.
