Unlock 1.0: Delhi-Noida border to remain sealed for a week, says Arvind Kejriwal

Unlock 1.0 phase has not changed much for people commuting between Noida and Delhi as the border remains sealed for private vehicles without a permit. Since morning, traffic has been building up at both Kalindi Kunj and DND Flyway leading to traffic jams. Now, the Delhi government has said that the border between the two cities will remain sealed for the next one week.

Delhi's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference this morning saying, "Delhi borders to be sealed for the next one week. Essential services are exempted. We will take a decision again in one week to open borders after suggestions from citizens."

Kejriwal also said, "In autos, e-rickshaws and other vehicles, as per earlier orders, the number of passengers was fixed. But now we are lifting the restrictions on the number of passengers travelling in auto, e-rickshaws and other vehicles."

Earlier, Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory through its social media handles for those trying to enter Noida from Delhi. Delhi Traffic Police took to Twitter saying all vehicles, other than those involved in essential services, will require an e-pass issued by the Noida district magistrate's office to cross the border.

On Saturday, the Centre had issued guidelines to open inter-state borders for vehicular movement. However, it had left it for the respective state governments to take a final call on the matter.

On Sunday, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration in Uttar Pradesh decided to keep the Noida-Delhi border sealed. It issued guidelines for lockdown 5.0 saying the decision was taken based on reports that 42 per cent of the coronavirus cases detected in the district in the last 20 days has been tracked to Delhi.

"Therefore, it has been decided in public interest that status quo shall be maintained with respect to inter-state border," said the statement.

The Delhi-Noida border has been sealed since April 21, except for essential services and those with passes issued by the District Magistrate.

Earlier on Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh government allowed interstate travel but left it to the district administrations of Ghaziabad and Noida to take a call on the movement of people from adjoining New Delhi. Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary RK Tiwari was quoted by PTI saying, "There is no ban on interstate and intra-state movement by persons or goods." But at the same time, the order said there will be a ban on the movement of people from the containment areas in Delhi to the NCR areas of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad.