Delhi borders to be sealed for a week, only people with passes to be allowed

Delhi will seal its borders for another week, announced chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, after seeking suggestions from people on the same. Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said people having passes and engaged in essential services will be allowed to enter the national capital.

Some will say that if people from other states are allowed to enter the city, they will avail services of health facilities in large numbers in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, and that Delhiites would not be able to use them, the chief minister said.

Kejriwal also assured that there is no shortage of beds in hospitals to treat COVID-19 positive patients in the city. The Delhi government will implement all the relaxations permitted by the Centre, the chief minister said.

"Barbershops and salons will be allowed to open, but spas will remain closed. All shops will be permitted to open and there will be no restrictions on their functioning," he said.

WATCH Zee Business TV LIVE Streaming Online

There will also be no restrictions on the number of persons travelling in four wheelers and two wheelers, Kejriwal said.

On Sunday, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration had announced that the Noida-Delhi border will remain sealed for the movement of people to and from the national capital. The decision has been taken based on a Health Department report on Sunday which said the source of infection in 42 per cent of the coronavirus cases detected in the district in the last 20 days has been tracked to Delhi, according to the guidelines.

"Therefore, it has been decided in public interest that status quo shall be maintained with respect to inter-state border," stated the guidelines signed by District Magistrate Suhas L Y.

The district administration had on April 21 banned movement between Noida and Delhi except for ambulances, doctors, goods carriers, media, those directly involved in COVID-19 services and those with passes issued by it.

The guidelines also said that activities permitted and prohibited by the Union Home Ministry shall apply to Gautam Buddh Nagar also.