Covid-19: Noida seals all its borders, Metro services on Aqua Line suspended till March 31

Noida police on Sunday sealed the city’s borders with Delhi and Ghaziabad after the state government announced a lockdown in 15 districts, including Gautam Budh

Noida police on Sunday sealed the city’s borders with Delhi and Ghaziabad after the state government announced a lockdown in 15 districts, including Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad, at least till March 25. The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) also suspended Metro services on the Aqua Line and city bus service till March 31 in light of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

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Ambulances and other vehicles engaged in ferrying essential commodities will be allowed to enter and exit the district.

Shriparna Gongulee, additional commissioner of police, said all borders connecting Noida to Delhi, Ghaziabad and other neighbouring districts are being sealed. “Movement of public has been restricted from Noida to Delhi and other neighbouring places, but those who provided essential services will be allowed to move across the border,” she said.

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Gongulee added that most people followed the directions issued under “janta curfew” and no unpleasant incident was reported from Noida and Greater Noida on Sunday.

Officials of the Noida police and traffic police were seen on the roads on Sunday, advising people to stay indoors and follow the “janta curfew.”

Rajesh S, deputy commissioner of police, Noida Traffic, said the usual movement of vehicles across the Noida borders will be restricted under the lockdown. “Ambulances and other vehicles carrying essential commodities will be allowed to enter and exit the district. We are setting up barricades at all Noida-Delhi borders such as DND Flyway, Mayur Vihar, Sector 62 among others. The entry of vehicles will be restricted in Noida during the lockdown,” he said. Police personnel have also been deployed at these borders to ensure the lockdown.

AK Singh, the regional manager officer of UP state road transport corporation (UPSRTC) said that inter-city and inter-state operations of UPSRTC buses will be shut during the lockdown as announced by the chief minister.

Commercial vehicles will be not be allowed to ply on city roads during the lockdown.

AK Pandey, assistant regional transport officer, Gautam Budh Nagar, said, “All commercial vehicles like auto-rickshaws, private cabs, buses, e-rickshaws and others will not be allowed to ply on roads during the lockdown. ” People can use their private vehicles if they have a genuine and valid reason, he added.

In the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has also suspended Metro services on the Aqua Line due to coronavirus threat till March 31.

Managing director, NMRC, Ritu Maheshwari said, “In view of Covid-19 pandemic and efforts being made by central and state government to fight with the same, Noida Metro’s Aqua Line train services will not run upto March 31, 2020,” she said. The Aqua Line, which connects the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida, has an average daily ridership of 25,000 commuters. Maheshwari said the services of NMRC’s city bus service will also remain suspended till March 31.

Local residents said there is a sense of insecurity among people due to the outbreak of Covid-19. Harinder Bhati, a resident of Sector Beta 1 in Greater Noida, said the local residents followed the “janta curfew” and remained indoor on Sunday. “A person in Sector Alpha 1, Greater Noida was found positive Covid-19 yesterday, and the people in the neighbourhood are concerned. People have put a united front against this disease. We hope the situation improves in the coming days,” he said.