The Haryana government gave an undertaking in the Delhi High Court on Thursday that movement of people engaged in essential services — government and private doctors, nurses, officials of police, courts and municipal bodies — will be allowed between Delhi and Haryana on production of e-passes during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The Haryana government said e-passes will be issued to all the individuals, involved in essential services, within 30 minutes of receipt of the applications and each e-pass will be valid for the entire duration of the lockdown and could be used for multiple visits.
Additional Advocate General of Haryana government Anil Grover told a Bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Sanjeev Narula that free movement of trucks carrying both the essential as well as non-essential goods between Delhi and Haryana (except to and fro between Containment Zones) as well as transiting through Haryana shall be allowed. Mr. Grover also said the Delhi-Haryana border is open and the roads near the border have not been dug up. The said border shall be kept open and shall be manned by security personnel, he added.
“Movement of people who man essential services as mentioned in notifications/orders/letters issued by Union of India including but not limited to government as well as private doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitation workers, staff of Delhi Police, Delhi Transport Corporation, Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporations, High Courts, trial courts etc. shall be allowed between Delhi and Haryana on production of e-passes,” the Haryana government said.
The high court was hearing a petition by O.P. Gupta seeking direction to the neighbouring state government not to restrict the movement of trucks to and fro between Delhi and Haryana.
The high court said the “undertakings/statements are taken on record and the Haryana government is held bound by the same”. It additionally said in the event of breach of any of the undertakings, the petitioner shall be at liberty to file appropriate legal proceedings against the officials of Haryana government in accordance with law.