Essential service providers to be given smooth passage: Haryana to Delhi HC

Severe restrictions were also put in place at the Delhi-Gurugram border by the Haryana government after it claimed that several cases in Gurugram had their root in Delhi.

The Haryana government has given an undertaking before the Delhi High Court that it would issue e-passes for inter state movement of all those engaged in providing essential services, including medical professionals within 30 minutes of receipt of application. Each e-pass shall be valid for the entire duration of the lockdown and could be used for multiple visits, the state government told the high court.

Haryana Police personnel screen commuters at the Delhi-Gurugram Border near Ambience Mall, during lockdown in the wake of coronavirus, at Sirhaul toll plaza, in Gurugram. (Yogendra Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The submission was made during the hearing of public interest litigation (PIL) by OP Gupta who had moved the court against blanket restriction on movement of people from Delhi to Sonepat were put in place to curb rising coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases. Severe restrictions were also put in place at the Delhi-Gurugram border by the Haryana government after it claimed that several cases in Gurugram had their root in Delhi. The curbs on movement of people involved in essential services have now been eased.

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A bench of justices Manmohan and Sanjeev Narula said that essential service providers shall not be quarantined unless and until they test positive for Covid-19 or are found in contact with a patient. The bench told Haryana additional advocate general (AAG) Anil Grover that the state government was bound by the undertaking it had given to the court to allow the unhindered movement of essential service providers with e-passes.

The state government had claimed that since about 56% of the coronavirus cases in the national capital region (NCR) districts — Gurugram, Faridabad, Jhajjar and Sonepat — had Delhi connections, it will allow back and forth movement of medical professionals from Delhi only on production of movement passes.

Taking up the PIL, the HC had on May 8 said that orders of the Sonepat district magistrate (DM) restraining the movement of doctors, nurses, court officials and trucks from Delhi to Sonepat constituted an infringement of the constitutional provisions.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) had on May 11 asked the states to ensure that interstate movement of medical professionals, nurses, paramedics should be facilitated. The directions came after the issue of restrictions being imposed by some states, including Haryana, was flagged during a meeting between the cabinet secretary and state governments last Sunday.

Grover also told the court that the free movement of trucks carrying both essential as well as non-essential goods between Delhi and Haryana (except to and from containment zones) as well as transiting through Haryana shall be allowed.

He assured the high court that the Delhi-Haryana border is open and the roads near the border have not been dug up, adding that the state border would be kept open.

The petitioner had claimed that even doctors, nurses and court officials who either reside in Sonepat or work there are being prevented from entering or leaving the city.

Following the submission by the Haryana government, the HC bench disposed of the plea.

Dr Harish Gupta, member of the Delhi Medical Association (DMA)and National Medical council (NMC), said that the order was necessary because several doctors and nurses serving in Delhi live in Gurugram.

“Many doctors, both in the government and private sector, were facing problems since their houses were in Gurugram. Around 100 doctors from the Safdarjund Hospital also reside in Gurugram and were finding it difficult to commute because of the restrictions.

“So, it was very much required as you cannot stop healthcare workers from performing their duties,”he said.

The Delhi government also welcomed the undertaking by its Haryana counterpart.

“We are glad that the Haryana government has agreed to ensure the unhindered movement of essential staff, for which we were appealing from Day One. Stopping their movement was a violation of the Centre’s orders. This is the time to work together as a nation and fully support our Corona Warriors,” a Delhi government statement read.