Rajasthan makes Covid negative report a must for entry
Shahnawaz Alam | TNN | Mar 19, 2021, 07:41 IST
TNN
Police have started random checks on vehicles at Shahjahanpur border
Gurgaon: The
Rajasthan
government has made a negative
RT-PCR
report, not older than 72 hours, mandatory for anyone entering the state from Haryana, where Covid cases are rising again.
On Wednesday night, Rajasthan
Police
set up a camp at the Shahjahanpur border on the Delhi-Jaipur highway and started random checks on vehicles, especially those with HR-26 (Gurgaon) registrations.
Those stopped were asked to produce a negative report of an RT-PCR test done in the last 72 hours, a move that took many by surprise. Commuters who could not produce such a report were turned back while those who agreed were tested at the checkpoint and their details noted down. The police personnel also stopped farmers who were headed to the protest site at Shahjahanpur.
A senior official of the Rajasthan health department told TOI on Thursday that the government had last week issued an order for commuters from six states, including Haryana, to carry a negative test report for entering Rajasthan.
“We have started to check people at various entry points. A special focus is on the districts adjoining Rajasthan. We are also keeping close tabs on the rising Covid cases in the neighbouring states. For those using public transport such as Volvo buses and trains to come to Rajasthan, we have deployed a separate team that will check the temperature and note down details of passengers at major bus stands and railway stations,” he said.
“We have also set up camps at border areas, where vehicles are being stopped randomly and occupants are being asked to produce a negative RT-PCR report. In case they are unable to produce a certificate, we are asking them to take a
Covid test
right there. This is likely to become the norm for the next few days at all our border points. We urge people to get themselves tested as cases are rising,” the official added.
For frequent travellers like Vikas Lamba, a businessman, the move was a cause for concern. “I travel often between Rewari and Alwar and was surprised when they stopped me at the Rajasthan border on Thursday morning. I tried to reason with the cops and explained to them that it was crucial for me to go to Alwar. After much persuasion, they let me go, but not before noting down my details and checking my temperature,” he said.
Guruvachan Singh, a farmer who has been at the Shahjahanpur protest site for the past few days, was heading home to Sri Gangangar when he was asked to undergo an RT-PCR test. “They allowed me to go after the test. The result is awaited though,” he said.
Gurgaon reported 104 fresh Covid cases on Thursday, taking its tally to 60,201. It was after a gap of two months that the district reported more than 100 new cases. As of Thursday, the city had 659 active cases, and 600 of the patients were in home isolation. On the other hand, Rajasthan reported 327 new cases on Thursday, 81 of which were recorded in Jaipur and 7 in Alwar.
Gurgaon: The Rajasthan government has made a negative RT-PCR report, not older than 72 hours, mandatory for anyone entering the state from Haryana, wh.
m.timesofindia.com
