Case studies

From Lockdown Chaos to Click-and-Go: The Story of Maharashtra’s Travel e-Pass System

Graphic Design1 March, 2024

Project Overview

In response to the mobility chaos during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, Adivid Technologies, in collaboration with Raigad Police, built and deployed Maharashtra’s first digital Travel e-Pass System within just 5 days. The platform enabled seamless, contactless issuance of vehicle passes, supporting over 1 crore people and setting a benchmark in crisis-time public tech deployment.

The Problem Statement

During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, enforcing mobility restrictions while enabling essential services became a massive challenge in Maharashtra. Paper-based travel permits were inconsistent, slow, and unsafe—putting both citizens and frontline officers at risk and overwhelming the police force.

Background

In the early days of the lockdown, essential service providers faced severe roadblocks—both literal and procedural. Paper passes required in-person submission, varying formats, and long queues at police stations, violating social distancing norms. Maharashtra Police needed a fast, secure, and scalable solution. Adivid Technologies, in partnership with Raigad Police, built and deployed a digital Travel e-Pass system within 5 days.

Manual Mayhem

Each district had its own paper-based pass format, creating confusion and delay.

Public Health Risk

Physical queues at police stations contradicted social distancing mandates.

No Data, No Direction

Lack of centralized data made resource planning and verification difficult for police.

Research & Planning

The platform was designed with a citizen-first and enforcement-sensitive lens. It was aimed at minimizing in-person interactions, ensuring swift approvals, and enabling data-backed decisions at the administrative level.:

Enabled uninterrupted essential service movement
Citizens Portal simplified online application for passes
Admin Dashboard empowered real-time decision-making
Designed for minimal contact and maximum traceability

Execution

The Travel e-Pass system was swiftly built, tested, and deployed, first launched in Raigad and adopted state-wide within days. It featured automated workflows with auto-token generation, dashboard-based approvals, and instant QR-coded e-passes. A 10-member tech team ensured 24/7 uptime with zero crashes. Security was prioritized through SSL certification, data encryption, cloud backups, and cyberattack protection.

Key Features:

URL-Based Public Portal
Citizens could upload documents and apply online—no police station visit needed.
Officer Dashboards
Zonal DCPs and Collector Offices could approve, reject, or modify passes in real time.
QR Verification
Each approved pass contained a QR code for roadside scanning and instant validation.
Analytics Engine
Enabled smarter police resource allocation and hotspot tracking.

Points of Impact

Massive Public Adoption

More than 1 crore people benefited directly, including essential workers and stranded citizens.

Faster, Safer Verification

QR-code-based checks minimized human contact, boosting both safety and efficiency.

Real-Time Governance

Police used analytics to deploy resources and plan better district-level responses.

Resilient Infrastructure

250+ platform updates handled without a single crash thanks to robust cloud infrastructure.

Results & Impact

72,62,847 applications received
33,22,710 passes approved
35,56,788 applications rejected
2+ crore unique visitors accessed the portal
15,37,396 QR scans for on-ground verification

Conclusion

Maharashtra’s Travel e-Pass System is more than a tech success—it’s a case study in how responsive governance, strong leadership, and lean innovation can converge to deliver safety, speed, and service in times of crisis.

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