Lockdown 3.0: Many throng Gurugram borders, turned back

Over 400 people, who came to the border to cross over in anticipation of relaxations on the day lockdown 3.0 began in India, were turned away from Sirhaul and Aya Nagar borders by 11am, the police said.

Borders connecting Gurugram and Delhi remained sealed on Monday morning with entry allowed only for people in essential services carrying valid passes.

Haryana Police personnel screen commuters for identity cards and permits at the Delhi Gurugram Border near Ambience Mall, during lockdown in the wake of coronavirus, at Sirhaul toll plaza, in Gurugram, India, on Sunday, 03 May 2020. (Yogendra Kumar/HT PHOTO)

Over 400 people, who came to the border to cross over in anticipation of relaxations on the day lockdown 3.0 began in India, were turned away from Sirhaul and Aya Nagar borders by 11am, the police said.

The Gurugram police said on Sunday that intradistrict movement will be allowed, but there would no movement of people between states.

Gurugram, a satellite city of the national capital in Haryana, is in orange zone. Its 11 borders with Delhi, which is in red zone, were sealed last week.

Over 50 police personnel were deployed at the main borders such as Sirhaul, Aya Nagar and Kapashera, which generally witness a large flow of people from Delhi coming to work in corporate houses and industrial areas in the IT hub.

Within the city, however, barricading was removed early Monday morning. Over 103 police posts, which were set up in residential areas, were lifted after the district administration issued fresh orders on Sunday saying there will be relaxation during the day for residents between 7am and 7pm.

Karan Goel, assistant commissioner of police (DLF), said Monday morning was one of the most challenging days in terms of maintaining the rush at the border during the lockdown as hundreds of people thought there will be relaxations. New federal guidelines have allowed private companies to resume operations, albeit with restrictions.

Staff of salons, beauty parlours and shops were not allowed to cross the border. Rajni Singh, a resident of Saket in Delhi who works in a parlour in Sector 49 ,was one of them.

“We had received a call from our employer that we have to resume work from Monday. We are not paid salary for last month, and its difficult to make ends meet. We really need to get back to work as soon as possible,” she said.