Traffic marginally increases as central govt employees are allowed to return to offices

There was a marginal increase in Delhi’s road traffic Monday, after the government relaxed the lockdown norms so that central government employees are able to attend

There was a marginal increase in Delhi’s road traffic Monday, after the government relaxed the lockdown norms so that central government employees are able to attend office during the lockdown From April 20.

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Senior police officers said in areas with a large number of central government buildings, pickets were rearrangedto ease the approach for government employees, while at the same time ensuring that stringent checking is continued.

Special commissioner of police (traffic) Taj Hasan said because there was only a marginal rise -- of less than 10% --in road traffic, the traffic police were able to manage the situation with the staff already on duty. “We had pickets raised all across the city to check vehicles and traffic police personnel were also deployed there. No additional deployment was required,” Hasan said.

A Delhi Police order, dated April 19, said “several officers of the central government commute in hired taxis. Therefore, such vehicles carrying officers must be allowed on the basis of identity cards.”

Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Eish Singhal said, “We increased our number of pickets from 40 to 49. These pickets were strategically placed in order to provide smooth passage to government employees and at the same time, continue our stringent checking. All government employees heading to office were also checked and allowed to pass on the basis of their identity cards.”

The Delhi government, however, on Saturday had issued an order to maintain ‘status quo’ in all Delhi government offices/departments. “Only those catering to Covid-19 related activities will be reporting to the field, while the rest would continue to work from home as was being done before April 20,” an official said.

Delhi Police on Monday also wrote to the police chief of adjoining states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, requesting them to ensure that the Delhi Police personnel who live in these states and need to cross borders, do not face any problems in reporting for duty.

A senior Delhi Police officer said many personnel living in these states had been complaining that locals in their residential neighbourhoods were not allowing them to enter or move out, saying that they may be exposed to the virus and allowing their entry or exit may result in the spread of Covid-19 among residents.

“As these issues were frequently being brought to our notice, we have requested the police chiefs of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to look into the matter and ensure that Delhi Police personnel are not stopped from coming to duty or returning home after duty,” the officer added, wishing not to be named.