Economic activities to resume, restrictions at Delhi-Ggm border to stay

As the nationwide lockdown entered its fourth phase on Monday with considerable relaxations, all areas in Haryana except for containment zones would be classified

As the nationwide lockdown entered its fourth phase on Monday with considerable relaxations, all areas in Haryana except for containment zones would be classified as ‘orange zones’ where all economic activities permitted by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) will be allowed, the state government said on Tuesday. However, the restrictions imposed on the movement of people along the Delhi borders will continue like before, and only those with passes issued by the district authorities will be allowed to enter the state.

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These announcements were made by Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in a video message shared on Monday evening on microblogging site Twitter.

Movement of inter-state and inter-district buses would also be allowed from Tuesday, he said. In the third phase of the lockdown, Haryana Roadways buses had already started plying in ten districts, and the rest of the districts are expected to see the movement of buses in light of the announcement.

In the video message, CM Khattar also indicated that the state was slowly moving towards the resumption of economic activities under strict social distancing norms. The Haryana government, however, did not issue any fresh set of guidelines or a detailed notification customising the directives issued by the MHA on Sunday.

A spokesperson of Gurugram district administration said the curbs on movement in the city will remain same as before as Gurugram was an ‘orange zone’ already. “Until new guidelines or a fresh notification is issued, the situation will remain the same in Gurugram,” he said. The nationwide lockdown has been extended till May 31.

The CM, however, expressed concern that four districts in Haryana—Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat and Jhajjar—which border Delhi were a cause of concern due to their high number of Covid-19 cases. The CM said because of the high number of cases, strict restrictions on the movement of people from Delhi into Haryana will continue.

“Entry of people from Delhi or Noida will remain restricted and only those people who have passes issued by the authorities will be allowed entry. Several government departments, private institutions and hospitals have given us a list of employees to whom passes have been issued,” Khattar said adding that the main focus was to stop the spread of coronavirus.

However, as of Monday night (around 10 pm), the online portal to reserve tickets for Haryana Roadways buses (which is mandatory for bookings) offered options for booking bus journeys from Delhi to certain districts which do not share their border with the national capital. Tickets were available for travelling between Delhi and Hisar, Fatehabad, Panchkula, Narnaul, Kaithal, Palwal, Sirsa, Bhiwani, and Ambala on May 19.

As per directions issued by the district administration, a person who lives in Delhi but works in Gurugram will have to get a pass from authorities in Delhi. In case, residents of Gurugram want to travel for work in Delhi will have to apply for a weekly pass on the Saral Haryana portal. A person who lives in Noida and works in Gurugram will have to get a pass from the Uttar Pradesh government, which shall be honoured by authorities in Haryana.

The district administration also assured that passes issued to health workers shall be given priority and they will be assisted in this matter by officials concerned.

To ensure economic activities resume in the state, CM Khattar said that large industrial areas outside containment zones in Gurugram and Faridabad will be allowed to resume industrial and commercial activities under in the fourth phase on the lockdown. “Restrictions will remain in containment zones, but in areas such as IMT Manesar industry owners can resume operations but with strict social distancing norms,” he said.

As per the MHA guidelines, the movement of people in and out of containment zones is restricted. except for medical emergencies or when in need of essential items. No economic activities are allowed in these zones.

The restriction on the number of employees that a commercial or industrial unit can employ during lockdown has also been done away with. “There is no restriction on the number of employees in Haryana now as MHA has done away with it,” he said.

Referring to the impending summer season, the CM said that directions have been issued to ensure that the electricity supply in the state is regular. “We held a review meeting with the power department and asked officials to ensure regular electricity supply,” said Khattar. The state government has also given directions to issue 5,000 tube-well connections, and complaints regarding excess or wrong electricity bills are looked into.

“Consumers can call at helpline number 1912 to rectify the bills,” he said. The CM also announced that the parole of as many as 6,000 jail inmates, who were released earlier, has been extended for another six weeks in view of the coronavirus pandemic.