Noida high-rise residents complain of long walks to fetch essentials

On the second day of sealing of the 22 hotspots in Noida, residents in most of the societies got essential goods, including milk, vegetables, fruits, grocery and

On the second day of sealing of the 22 hotspots in Noida, residents in most of the societies got essential goods, including milk, vegetables, fruits, grocery and medicine. However, doorstep delivery in the high-rises remained missing. Since everything was being delivered at the gates, it posed problems for larger societies having more than 1,200 families.

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As per the government notification, essential supplies were supposed to be delivered at the doorstep to prevent residents from coming out of their houses.On first day of the sealing, officials of the Noida Authority said that the supply at hotspots will improve as the duties of vendors and officials for monitoring purposes were being fixed. Some of the vendors were added and some were changed by the authority.

“It was being said by the district administration that essential goods will be delivered at the doorstep. But now, the supply has become more troublesome. Norms of social distancing are not being maintained. Supply is only available at the main gate of the society and apartment owners are being forced to walk up to 800 metres to procure the same. Senior citizens face issues while walking with so much goods in their hands. Either they should allow them at the towers or deliver at door step if they want to contain the spread,” said Abhinav Ramkrishna, Supreme Court advocate and a resident of Grand Omaxe in Sector 93A — one of the hotspots. The apartment houses approximately 1,300 families.

Similarly, apartment owners in sealed hotspots, such as sectors 137, 22 and 37 also faced problems in procuring essential goods.

“We did not get any essential goods supply on day one of the sealing despite repeated calls at integrated contact number and vendors of the Noida Authority. Now on second day, we got only milk. We kept calling at all numbers but nobody delivered vegetables and fruits. This system is not working at all and the plan of supplying essential goods at door step is not being implemented properly,” said Sudarshan Awasthi a resident of Sector 22.

During lockdown, big apartment complexes were getting essential goods supply from local vendors fixed by the Noida Authority at their tower lobbies. But after the sealing the hotspots, the previously designated vendors didn’t get permission to deliver supplies thus breaking the supply chain.

“In small societies, the Noida Authority may be successful in delivering vegetables and other essential goods at doorstep, but in big societies, this is not possible” said PVS Prakash president of apartment owners association of Grand Omaxe society.

Similarly residents complained about the location of vendors. “Our vegetables and fruits vendor is stationed at Gate No. 3 and the grocery truck is stationed at gate No 2, both located 800 metres apart. They should be positioned in front of the main gate as commuting between these two places from my apartment is almost a 2km walk. This arrangement also defeats the purpose of social distancing as almost everyone is out in the society to buy essential items,” said Mrinalini Jaiswal, a resident of Logix Blossom County, Sector 137.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary RK Tiwari said, “We have directed to supply all essential goods at the doorstep in hotspots. If there are issues, these will be addressed.”

Ritu Maheshwari CEO, Noida Authority, said, “We have tried to streamline the supply and deliver at the doorstep in hotspots. But if there are some glitches, and we are resolving them.”

Gautam Buddh Nagar district magistrate Suhas LY said, ”The Noida Authority is dealing with supply of essential services and it will address the lingering issues.”