State e-pass rule creates ruckus at TS-AP border
Ruckus returned to the AP-Telangana borders on Sunday, with the latter further restraining the entry of vehicles from Andhra Pradesh. The Telangana police had earlier stopped the entry of ambulances from AP heading for Covid-19 hospitals in Telangana.
Earlier, people from the AP side were allowed into Telangana state during the lockdown relaxation period from 6 am to 10 am without e-passes. But new norms imposed by the Telangana government on Sunday made the epass a must to enter the state even during the relaxation window.
The restriction caused severe hardship to the people of Andhra Pradesh heading to their desinations in Telangana, and caused a traffic jam on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway at Ramapuram crossroads.
A similar situation prevailed at Pondugala, Nagarjunasagar and Dachepalli in Guntur district on the Telangana border.
Making use of the curfew relaxation period, AP residents wishing to go to Hyderabad and other areas used to reach the Garikapadu checkpost in Jaggayyapeta mandal by 6 am and enter Telangana state after the lockdown relaxation began. Similar was the situation at Garikapadu and Ramapuram crossroads.
On Sunday, they were in for a shock when the Telangana state police did not allow them without e-passes. Vehicles and ambulances with e-passes were allowed through.
The people, who were stopped at the border, entered into arguments with the police over the sudden implementation of new norms without prior information.
Private employees D. Nagesh and P. Suraj said their relatives were in private hospitals in Hyderabad and they were going to look after them.
People contended, in vain, that during the lockdown relaxation time they can go anywhere but the Telangana government was imposing needless rules, treating them as though they belong to enemy countries.