COVID-19: Scores of people sent back as Haryana police seals Delhi-Gurugram border

(Eds: adding details )

New Delhi, May 1 () Wth Haryana government sealing its borders with Delhi to contain COVID-19 spread, scores of people commuting to Gurugram were sent back on Friday by the state police, which only allowed passage of those associated with essential services.

The policeman manning the border at Sarhaul toll had a tough time handling the situation as motorists and people having jobs in Gurugram argued with them showing their passes.

While the Haryana government has said that people associated with essential services will be allowed to enter Gurugram, several people claimed that despite having passes, the police did not allow them to cross the border.

"I am a nursing staff in a hospital at IFFCO chowk in Gurugram but they are not allowing me to cross the border. Earlier, the police would see my identity card and let me through but now they are not," said Rahul Singh, a resident of Rajokri in Delhi, who was stopped at the Delhi-Gurugram border near Sarhaul.

Haryana's Home and Health minister Anil Vij had recently said borders of the state with Delhi have been "sealed" and stricter restrictions will be imposed on those coming in from the national capital while only those associated with essential services will be allowed to enter.

Haryana will be in a "comfortable position" as far as COVID-19 cases are concerned if the borders stay sealed for 15-20 days, Vij had said.

Another regular commuter from Delhi to Gurugram, Dipak Kumar, a hardware engineer with an internet service provider alleged his pass was not accepted by the police.

"I am waiting for more than hour but police are not letting me in. I have been using a pass provided to me by my company to go from Delhi to Gurugram but now they are not allowing me to enter," he said.

A Haryana Police officer at the border said entry of vehicles and others without proper passes has been stopped from 10 am on Friday till further orders.

"We are only following the Deputy Commissioner's order and only those associated with essentially services are being allowed," he said.

Deepak Kumar Kashyap, a marketing manager with a pharmaceutical company based in Gurugram argued with policemen showing his pass, at the border.

"After so much argument now they have relented and allowed me to go but they are warning that I will not be allowed to cross back to Delhi," Kashyap said.

The police officer said that only those carrying passes authorised by the Centre and Haryana government are allowed to cross the border. Ambulances, vehicles carrying vegetables, fruits, milk and other essential items are also allowed, he said.

Strict restrictions on other border points of Delhi adjoining Faridabad and Sonipat were imposed by the Haryana police personnel. VIT VIT TDSTDS