Noida-Delhi border remains sealed even as lockdown 4 eases restrictions

Even as the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown began from Monday, the Delhi-Noida border continued to remain sealed, permitting only the movement of those involved in essential services and those who had administration-issued passes.

Even as the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown began from Monday, the Delhi-Noida border continued to remain sealed, permitting only the movement of those involved in essential services and those who had administration-issued passes.

UP police personnel stop vehicles at the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border on Monday. Gautam Budh Nagar is continuing with old guidelines and only movement of essential services and those with passes issued by the district magistrate is allowed. (Sunil Ghosh/ HT Photo)

However, with the Union ministry of home affairs permitting interstate travel from May 18, traffic chaos was seen at the Kalindi Kunj and Delh-Noida-Direct (DND) Flyway stretch on Monday morning.

“People started queuing up on the Delhi side to cross over to Noida, assuming that the borders would have been de-sealed. However, Gautam Budh Nagar is continuing with the previous guidelines and only movement of essential services and those with passes issued by the DM is allowed,” deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Rajesh S said.

The district had sealed its border will Delhi in April after several coronavirus disease cases reported in Gautam Budh Nagar were found to have links in Delhi.

He said there were snarls in the morning and instead of the usual one lane, traffic personnel had to open two additional lanes to smoothen the flow of traffic. The situation was normalised by 11.30am, traffic officers aid.

officers also said the only difference in the fourth phase of the lockdown, which kicked in on May 18 and will continue till May 31, so far was that the movement of medical professionals across state borders have now been allowed.

Commuters with date specific passes can only travel on that date while those whose passes were valid only till May 17 will have to renew passes. But the passes permitting the movement of vehicles related to services that have been allowed can continue to ply even in the fourth phase.

“The situation was tense Monday morning. There was pressure from the Delhi side but it was controlled. People from Noida who have managed to get across will face problems while returning as rules here have not changed. All previous guidelines are being followed,” Kumar Ranvijay Singh, additional deputy commissioner of police, zone 1, said.

To ease the situation, the Delhi Police tweeted at 10.43am that people travelling from Delhi to Noida via the Kalindi Kunj barrage or the DND Flyway may face difficulties as entry of only vehicles having passes issued by the district magistrate is allowed.

Another tweet at 11.06am issued an advisory that people should avoid crossing the border from these points as traffic was heavy.

Commuters faced hour-long snarls due to the additional traffic pressure.

“We usually take the Eastern Peripheral Expressway but today, we decided to go via Kalindi Kunj. However, it soon became clear that to cross a 50-metre stretch, it would take us more than an hour and so we then via DND Flyway. It did take us a while but then police opened another lane so the traffic could move more smoothly,” Amrinder Singh, a senior manager with a Noida-based medical equipment managing company, who commutes from Faridabad, said.

He said there were many who had come out for no reason and they were being asked by the police to turn back. “The only reason it took so long was because police were verifying each person’s ID and pass. From tomorrow hopefully, the situation will ease,” Singh said.

Gautam Budh Nagar administration has not issued any fresh guidelines for the fourth phase of the lockdown. The nationwide lockdown, first announced from March 25, will now continue till May 31.