As cops check for passes at Noida border, jams back at Kalindi Kunj

NOIDA: Checking was intensified at Noida’s borders with Delhi on the first day of the weekend lockdown. The Noida administration has kept its borders with Delhi sealed since April, citing high number of Covid cases in the capital.
Additional police teams were deployed at the entry and exit points on DND and Kalindi Kunj. Many commuters who did not have passes were sent back as the cops refused to give any leeway. As people waited in queue to get their passes and papers checked, the tailback of vehicles stretched at least a kilometre during rush hours.
Additional DCP (zone 1) Ranvijay Singh cited the state government’s guidelines and said that only those associated with essential services and having relevant ID cards or passes were being allowed through the border.
“All others were sent back. This led to snarls, but only for some time. Otherwise, movement through the border was smooth. There were not too many vehicles on the road,” he added.
As cases continue to rise, the UP government has imposed a lockdown from 10pm on Friday to 5am on Monday.
Singh said police teams had been formed at every zone to keep watch on sensitive areas with drones. “We have deployed drone operators and formed patrolling teams for highly sensitive areas. They will ensure that the lockdown guidelines are followed strictly,” he said.
Singh said the police had been instructed to impose penalties for violation of lockdown guidelines. “We are penalising first time offenders with Rs 100. Anyone found violating lockdown norms for the second time since March will have to shell out Rs 500,” he said. The district police have booked more than 11,000 people for lockdown violations so far.