Covid-19 lockdown:Noida allows delivery persons to operate without passes, IDs will do

All online service delivery services such as Swiggy, Grofers, Big Basket, Licious, Big Bazaar, Zomato and other app-based vendors have been allowed to operate without

All online service delivery services such as Swiggy, Grofers, Big Basket, Licious, Big Bazaar, Zomato and other app-based vendors have been allowed to operate without passes in Gautam Budh Nagar district to ensure that supply of essential services is not hampered in any way during the 21-day lockdown. The delivery persons, however, would have to mandatorily carry their identity cards and produce them for verification when asked by the police.

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The administration, the Noida authority and police have allowed movement of all vehicles without passes carrying milk, vegetables and other food items amid lockdown. Earlier, the delivery persons had to procure passes to facilitate their movement within the district and also to cross through the interstate borders. This ended up affecting the deliveries, with many delivery persons alleging that they were stopped and beaten up by the police, despite having passes.

“However, delivery persons must carry identity cards. If anyone is found misusing this facility for purposes other than delivering essential items, then strong legal action will be taken,” Alok Singh, police commissioner, Gautam Budh Nagar, said.

The administration has asked Swiggy and Zomato to work in tandem with Big Bazaar and other such major vendors so that they can use the food delivery network and supply milk, vegetables and other grocery items.

The Noida authority has made marked lines, one metre apart, outside grocery shops and milk booths to ensure that residents who turn up to make purchases practise social distancing and thereby prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

“We have done away with passes for uninterrupted supply of essential services including milk, vegetables and grocery item and medicines. Having to obtain passes before making deliveries would have affected supply to residents of housing complexes in Noida or Greater Noida. However each vendor supplying essential goods will carry their own identity cards,” Abhay Kumar Singh, subdivisional magistrate, who is looking after Covid-19 related issues, including supply of essential services, said.

The Noida authority, administration and residents’ welfare associations together are helping vendors supply vegetables, milk and other food items at doorsteps. The vendors Thursday supplied essential services in sectors 11, 12, 15, 19, 20, 21, 33, 34, 47, 61 and 105, among others. The authority has contacted 85 vendors on Wednesday and Thursday to supply milk, vegetables and other essential items to residents.

“We will increase the number of vendors further in order to adequate supply. We will assign specific vendors to sectors so that they can deliver services daily without any hassle,” Ritu Maheshwari, chief executive officer, Noida authority, said.

Similarly, the Greater Noida authority has also ensured essential goods are delivered on time to citizens. “We are making circles/lines, one metre apart, to practise social distancing outside milk booths and grocery shops,” Yogendra Sharma, president of federation of Noida residents’ welfare associations (FONRWA), a residents’ body, said.

Gautam Budh Nagar district has, so far, seen 14 Covid-19 cases. Three of them were discharged after treatment while the remaining are undergoing treatment in isolation wards at hospitals, officials said.