Chaos at borders as police struggle to check traffic
PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS DOCTORS, POLICE PERSONNEL, MEDICAL AND SANITARY STAFF WERE ALLOWED TO PASS
NEW DELHI: Amid the lockdown orders in various states, confusion, chaos and traffic jams prevailed at Ghazipur on Uttar Pradesh-delhi border on Monday morning as police personnel were seen struggling to prevent those who were unnecessarily attempting to cross the border. The chaos also led to stopping of regular vehicles at the border and delaying the entry of “essential” vehicles and people who have been exempted from the lockdown orders by the government.
While the police personnel were allowing professionals such as doctors, police personnel, medical and sanitary staff, people who were not able to convince them regarding their urgency were prohibited from entering Delhi, causing inconvenience to such motorists.
On Sunday, after the government’s lockdown orders, Delhi Police commissioner SN Shrivastava had said that the police will not stop people who are residents of Delhi but were stuck in other states before the lockdown orders from crossing the borders. However, on ground the situation was different and police personnel were seen stopping many such people and asking them to return, not listening to their genuine concerns that where will they go now.
“My son was admitted in Yashoda hospital for stomach infection. He was discharged yesterday but the doctor had asked me to show his pathological reports. I came to the hospital in the morning before 6am and met the doctor. I am now trying to return home but the policemen are now letting me go, despite showing the medical reports,” said Arun Mahata, a resident of Karol Bagh in central Delhi.
Yogesh Kumar, a resident of Punjabi Bagh, was denied entry into the city even as he told the police personnel that he had gone to Aligarh with his family to attend the last rites of a relative. “I know about the lockdown orders but I am helpless as I had to return home. My wife and son are also with me. I tried convincing the policemen but they were just not listening,” said Kumar.
While many of the motorists were seen obeying the instructions of the police personnel, some insisted on the entry and were seen stopping their cars behind the police barricades and arguing with them, creating inconvenience for other motorists and even halting essential vehicles such as ambulances, police vans, army trucks, among others.
“People are arguing with us despite knowing about the government’s lockdown orders. We have been instructed by our seniors only to allow essentials vehicles and people who have been exempted from the lockdown orders. But those having no urgency are also quarrelling with us, as if we are stopping them for our own safety,” said a Delhi Police head constable who has been on duty at the Ghazipur border with seven other personnel, including three traffic police staff.