Chaos at Delhi-Ghaziabad border after sealing over six Covid-19 cases

Ghaziabad: Hundreds of people, including those involved in essential services, were stuck on the border with Delhi on Tuesday after the Ghaziabad district magistrate

Ghaziabad: Hundreds of people, including those involved in essential services, were stuck on the border with Delhi on Tuesday after the Ghaziabad district magistrate issued an order to seal all borders, to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The escalating situation forced the DM, Ajay Shankar Pandey, to the border on Tuesday afternoon, accompanied by police officers.

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Pandey had issued the closure direction late on Monday, under provisions of the Disaster Management Act, prohibiting any travel between Ghaziabad and the national capital.

The order came after at least six people in Ghaziabad, who health and district officials said had travelled to Delhi, tested positive for Covid-19.

However, as a result of the directions on Monday night, hundreds of commuters were left stranded at the borders for hours on Tuesday.

Doctors, transport workers and bankers were among those stuck on either sides of the border after the police refused to allow their entry or exit.

“I was headed home to Raj Nagar Extension [in Ghaziabad] after night duty from my hospital. I was stuck up at UP Gate border as the police did not allow entries. From 8.30am to 11am, I was stuck, like hundreds of other people in their vehicles,” a doctor from a Delhi government hospital designated as Covid-19 facility, said.

“The police did not allow me to enter, despite my producing my duty pass and ID card,” the doctor added.

“I had to call up my contacts, who contacted the Ghaziabad police, after which I was allowed to leave. But all this took me about three hours to enter into Ghaziabad. The police even told me that I should stay in Delhi. I have more duties lined up on Wednesday and don’t know whether I will be able to attend to these or not,” the doctor said.

Bishambhar Dayal, an employee of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) from Sanjay Nagar in Ghaziabad, had to report for duty at 12.30pm on Tuesday and was headed to a depot at Sukhdev Vihar.

“I came to the Kaushambi border, but the police did not allow me to go to Delhi. I showed them my ID card and my duty pass, but they still refused,” Dayal said.

“I moved to UP Gate but the cops there too denied me passage to Delhi. So, I have informed my officers and went back home,” Dayal said.

A number of ambulances carrying patients also got delayed at the border.

Pradeep Jain, a senior officer with a central public sector enterprise and resident of Ramprastha Greens in Ghaziabad’s Vaishali, said he would prefer to work from home rather than attending office in Delhi’s Vasant Vihar.

“I had to wait for two hours and many vehicles carrying essential items were stuck at UP Gate border. Tuesday was the second day when a few employees were directed to attend office. With these conditions prevailing, however, I would prefer to work from home,” he added.

A woman banker, who had to go to her office in Karol Bagh, said the police did not allow her entry into Delhi and she had to call up her colleague who took bank keys in order to open the branch.

This happened despite the order stating that “people involved in essential supplies or valid pass holders will be allowed to move.”

Senior government officials of the national capital told HT that the UP government did not communicate the decision to the Delhi government on time.

Later in the day, to resolve the gridlock, the Delhi government sent a team of officers — led by east Delhi district magistrate Arun Kumar Mishra, to meet his Ghaziabad counterpart.

The Delhi Police also apprised Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and chief secretary Vijay Dev about the condition at the border. Joint commissioner of police (eastern range) Alok Kumar on Tuesday said the “sudden” restriction by the Ghaziabad administration had led to the severe snarls at the borders.

“Senior police officers from both Ghaziabad and Delhi came to the border. We are also in touch with the Uttar Pradesh administration to ease the situation as soon as possible,” Kumar said.

A Delhi Police officer deployed at the border said they deployed eight companies (around 70 personnel) at the border.

The Ghaziabad police, however, claimed no one working or involved in providing essential services was stopped.

“People who are not attached to any essential services are not allowed to travel to Delhi. However, while there may have been some hiccups, those attached to essential services are not being stopped,” Anshu Jain, circle officer, Indirapuram, said.

“We have also deployed the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), apart from civil police to maintain strict checks,” Jain said.

Hundreds of commuters travel between Delhi and Ghaziabad from the UP Gate, Anand Vihar and Kaushambi and Loni border areas on a daily basis.

Later in the day, Awanish Awasthi, UP’s additional chief secretary (home) said Ghaziabad and Noida officials have been asked to ensure the lockdown guidelines were followed to the hilt.

“The Ghaziabad and Noida administrations have decided that only vehicles ferrying those involved in essential services will be allowed to enter and exit,” he added.

(With inputs from Sweta Goswami and Anvit Srivastava)