The Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) on March 24 instructed the department officials to allow movement of doctors, nurses and other health personnel during lockdown based on their Identity Card till March 27.

For our comprehensive coverage and latest updates on COVID-19 click here.

He asked the police not to insist on pass. In a letter, the DGP informed they are working to develop a web-based system of passes for all exempted category. "Since a web-based system will take time to develop and stabilize, doctors, nurses and healthcare workers employed in government as well as private hospitals should be allowed to move during lockdown till March 27 in their vehicles on showing their Identity Card," said the DGP.

Notably, the Odisha government has extended the lockdown to all 30 districts across the state to fight COVID-19. Meanwhile, the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Commissionerate Police cancelled issuing passes after huge crowds were seen in front of the police stations in Bhubaneswar. "We are cancelling process of issuing passes to emergency workers as too many people are congregating and social distance cannot be maintained. Please use your I-Card for the moment. We will introduce an IT Platform by tomorrow to automate the process of issue of vehicle passes," tweeted a police. "Those who need to travel due to medical or other emergencies will be allowed if there is a patient or medical paper," said the tweet.