Scores of people sent back as Haryana police seal Delhi-Gurugram border

NEW DELHI,

WTH Haryana Government sealing its borders with Delhi to contain COVID19 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 DelhiGurugram 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 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 on Friday till further orders.