The Delhi-Gurugram border was sealed by the Gurugram police on Friday to restrict the entry of people from outside the district to curb the spread of the Covid-19 and a team of health department officials conducted thermal screening of people entering Gurugram.
Moreover, the commuters crossing the border had to go through three levels of checking. The police personnel also checked Aarogya Setu app which was mandatory to be installed by people crossing the border.
The cops had opened one lane each at the border points for entry and exit of vehicles and around 20 police officers were deployed at each of the entry points.
The border was closed from 10 am on Friday and will remain shut till further orders.
In compliance with the District Magistrate's order, the Gurugram police sent back hundreds of vehicles coming from the national Capital.
On Friday, heavy police deployment was seen at the border areas including Delhi-Gurugram border on NH-48, Bilaspur, Palam Vihar, Khod village, KMP Expressway near Farrukhnagar, Bajghera, Raipur (Sohna), Silani Chowk (Sohna-Palwal Road), Dundahera and Pathredi. Also, panic gripped the commuters and a long queue of vehicles was witnessed at the Delhi-Gurugram expressway on Friday morning after police stopped vehicles from crossing the border.
“A cross-movement borders connecting Delhi have been restricted only essential services are exempted. We won't allow any unregulated movement through the border. This will help to curb the coronavirus spread,” said Amit Khatri, the Deputy Commissioner of Gurugram.
However, the vehicles supplying essential commodities such as vegetables and milk were allowed.
Meanwhile, several commuters claimed that despite having valid passes, the police did not allow them to cross the border. A commuter from Delhi to Gurugram, Sujeet Kumar, an engineer with an internet service provider alleged his pass was not accepted by the police.
A police officer of the Gurugram police designated at the border said that entry of vehicles and other without proper passes has been stopped from 10 am on Friday till further orders.
"We are following the District Magistrate order and only those associated with accommodates services are being allowed in, the officer said.
The Gurugram administration has already appointed 30 duty magistrates to ensure that the restrictions are implemented. "A total of 30 checkpoints, with one duty magistrate to monitor movement through each of them, have been set up across the city and 10 duty magistrates have been kept on standby for emergencies,” Khatri said.
The administration in its order added that any violation of the restriction at the Delhi-Gurgaon (Gurugram) border will invite criminal proceedings under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Indian Penal Code.
Gurugram has so far reported 63 positive cases including six on Friday of which 38 have been cured and discharged. Gurugram has 28 containment zones.