Coronavirus: Curfew passes must to enter Delhi; border sealed

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that lockdown will be strictly enforced in the national capital

Amid concerns in the government over people violating lockdown, the Delhi police on Monday announced that curfew passes will be mandatory from March 24 to enter the national capital.

Media persons, however, will not need the passes and their ID cards will suffice, they said.

On Sunday, police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Delhi till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, banning protests, and other gatherings.
 

Section 144 of the CrPC bans assembly of four or more people in one place.

In a communication on Monday, Delhi Police Commissioner S N Srivastava ordered that all border pickets in Delhi be sealed with "immediate effect".

All essential services will continue without any hinderance, he said.

According to the order, private organisations in Delhi engaged in essential services will seek curfew passes from the office of the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of their respective district.

Additional DCP of the concerned district will issue the passes after assessing the genuine requirements, it said.

Private organisations located in the national capital's neighbouring districts may also seek curfew passes from the DCP offices -- Southwest, Southeast, Shahdara, East, Outer-North or Outer -- for their employees who commute from Delhi, it added.

Media persons will not need these passes and they can show their ID cards, according to the order.

Government officials who are engaged in essential services will also be permitted to enter Delhi on the basis of their identity cards.

The movement of employees of private companies to whom essential services are outsourced by the government shall also be permitted on the basis of identity cards and authorisation issued by the concerned government organisation, the order stated.

Strict legal action will be taken against those found violating the prohibitory orders, the police said.

"Strict checking shall be done at the border pickets and internal pickets within the city in every police station area to ensure that no gathering or movement takes place in contravention of the prohibitory orders," the order stated.

To ensure compliance of the prohibitory orders, the police said, patrolling will be conducted. Announcements will be made seeking cooperation of people and informing them about legal action that violation of the orders may attract.

Traffic police, PCR, station house officers and their supervising officers shall move around to inspect the arrangements and ensure compliance of the order, the police said.

Local officers will maintain close liaison with the neighbouring districts of the adjoining states, they said.