COVID-19: After sealing border with Delhi, Noida admin issues advisory on media passes

Noida (UP), Apr 22 () The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration on Wednesday asked media houses located in Noida and Delhi to send details of their personnel who need to travel between the two cities during the lockdown imposed due to COVID-19 outbreak.

The details of the "most important representatives" of the media houses could be sent by 12 pm on Wednesday (April 22) on the email ids -- cahqgbn@gmail.com and diogautambudhnagar@gmail.com, the administration said in a statement issued at around 1.30 am on Wednesday.

The administration had banned the movement of people between Noida and Delhi, except those involved in COVID-19-related services like ambulances, goods transportation and media, from Tuesday night.

"Media houses in Noida and Delhi should prepare a list of their representatives who stay in Delhi and work in Noida or stay in Noida but work in Delhi. The list should be e-mailed by 12 pm on April 22 (Wednesday)," according to the statement.

"Media representatives who live and work in Noida and do not need to travel to Delhi should not be included in the list," the advisory said, adding that such media personnel can move around in Noida if they have a press identity card issued by their organisation.

The media houses are required to mail the list in Word as well PDF formats, the administration said.

Requesting the support and cooperation from media houses in the fight against the deadly virus, the administration said, "Please try to keep the names as few as possible."

Media houses were also requested to mention their e-mail id in the list so that an approval e-mail could be sent to them, according to the statement.

On Tuesday night, the district administration banned the movement between Delhi and Noida.

The decision was taken on the basis of a report by the Health Department here, which stated that several people who tested positive for coronavirus had links to Delhi, the official order stated.

"It is clear from the report of the Health Department that there is a possibility of infection from people travelling between Delhi and Gautam Buddh Nagar. Hence, in larger public interest, movement between Delhi and Gautam Buddh Nagar is being completely banned until further orders," District Magistrate (DM) Suhas L Y said in the order.

Certain categories of people were exempted from the ban, according to the order.

"All officers and workers engaged directly in COVID-19 services will be allowed if they have a pass signed by a competent officer of the Uttar Pradesh government or Delhi government.

"Vehicles, light or heavy, used for transportation of goods will be allowed movement. However, these vehicles would be impounded and action taken if they are found to be transporting passengers," the order said.

Movement of ambulances will be allowed, besides deputy secretaries and high-ranking officers of the central government, who have an identity card issued by the Union Home Ministry.

"Those media personnel who have a pass issued by the additional police commissioner (headquarters) and the district information officer will be allowed movement," the order stated.

Gautam Buddh Nagar is a COVID-19 hotspot and has so far recorded 102 positive cases of coronavirus, while 43 of the patients have been cured and discharged, according to official figures.

The district near Delhi has over the years become a hub for media houses with several print, television and digital news companies operating out of Noida, with the Filmcity in Sector 16 being a prominent zone among others. KIS RHL