Random rapid tests for commuters going to Noida from Delhi - Hindustan Times
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Random rapid tests for commuters going to Noida from Delhi

Hindustan Times, Ghaziabad/Noida | ByPeeyush Khandelwal and Shafaque Alam
Nov 18, 2020 08:17 AM IST

Senior administration officials said teams of the health department will be deployed randomly at any of the five major road entry/exit points from Delhi or at the 11 Metro stations in Noida for testing commuters.

People coming to Noida from Delhi will be randomly tested for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) from Wednesday, the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration said on Tuesday, adding that the measure was part of the strategy to curb rising infections in the district since a large number of commuters travel between Delhi and Noida daily.

According to the state control room data, till November 17 the district has recorded 20,566 Covid-19 cases and 73 fatalities. Between November 1 and 17, the district has reported 2,727 fresh infections.(Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)
According to the state control room data, till November 17 the district has recorded 20,566 Covid-19 cases and 73 fatalities. Between November 1 and 17, the district has reported 2,727 fresh infections.(Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Senior administration officials said teams of the health department will be deployed randomly at any of the five major road entry/exit points from Delhi or at the 11 Metro stations in Noida for testing commuters.

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“The teams will randomly select commuters coming in from Delhi and test them through rapid antigen method. The traffic between Delhi and Noida would continue to be normal and it is reiterated that only a few randomly selected commuters shall be tested and not all of those entering the city,” said Suhas LY, district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar.

“The exercise will start Wednesday. Since, it will be the first day, we have not assessed how many of the commuters will be tested. This assessment will be done a day later. This is being done in order to curb the spread of infection and help in issuing advisories to employers and organisations, where a large number of people work and commute between Gautam Budh Nagar and adjacent areas,” Suhas said.

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According to the state control room data, till November 17 the district has recorded 20,566 Covid-19 cases and 73 fatalities. Between November 1 and 17, the district has reported 2,727 fresh infections.

The five major entry/exit points that Noida shares with Delhi are the DND flyway, Noida-Mayur Vihar border, New Ashok Nagar border, Kalindi Kunj and another one near Kondli. The city has Nine stations metro stations which are part of the Blue Line (Noida Electronic City to Dwarka Sector 21) of the Delhi Metro network and two stations which fall on the Magenta Line (Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden).

Ashutosh Singh, traffic inspector, said Noida and Delhi are connected through DND Flyway, Kalindi Kunj and Mayur Vihar link road. “Before lockdown each of the three roads catered to over one lakh vehicles daily. After the lockdown, the number of vehicles has decreased on the roads since schools, colleges and offices are closed. As per out estimate, around 70,000 vehicles use DND Flyway and about 60,000 vehicles use Kalindi Kunj every day. Similar numbers of vehicles run on the Mayur Vihar link road as well,” he said.

Also Read: Delhi to get 9,500 teams for door-to-door surveillance outside containment zones, contact tracing

These roads are presently toll free hence the police does not have exact figures, said officials.

Ganesh Saha, DCP traffic, Gautam Budh Nagar, said he has not received the district magistrate’s order on random sampling of commuters visiting Noida from Delhi for Covid-19 test.

“We will coordinate with the district administration as part of the programme,” Saha said.

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