Bedlam at Gzb border after closure, Noida also sealed to curb Covid-19 infections

The order was issued under the National Disaster Act 2005 and came in force with immediate effects.

Hundreds of people, including those involved in essential services, were stuck on the border with Delhi on Tuesday morning after the Ghaziabad district magistrate (DM) issued an order to seal all borders to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

A winding traffic jam at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border (Ajay Aggarwal /HT PHOTO)

Gautam Budh Nagar too followed suit on Tuesday evening, and sealed its borders with the national capital, claiming that those who travel to and from Delhi were more susceptible to the virus.

The order was issued under the National Disaster Act 2005 and came in force with immediate effects. “The order has been passed to contain the spread of Covid-19. People involved in essential services will be provided passes by the concerned officials,” said Suhas LY, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar.

According to data released by the district’s health department on Tuesday, three Noida patients contracted the disease in Delhi, and are under treated there.

The escalating situation on Tuesday forced Ghaziabad DM Ajay Shankar Pandey to go to the border, accompanied by police officers, on Tuesday afternoon.

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 working 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, if conditions at the border remained as they were on Tuesday.

“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.

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.

The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration also meanwhile said all workers involved in essential services would have to get passes issued from the authorities concerned, in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, to travel between the states. However, officials said the district chief medical officer will issue a list of medical professionals to the police, to ensure they are not stopped.

( With inputs from Sweta Goswami, Anvit Srivastava and Preety Acharya)