Gurgaon police allows more e-retailers to operate in district

Technical persons for essential maintenance of residence, apartments also allowed.




Following an order on Wednesday that permitted 12 online delivery services to operate in Gurgaon district, Commissioner of Police Mohammad Akil, in another order later in the evening, added more e-commerce retailers and operators to the list.

“The following other retailers/operators online delivery services Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, 24Seven, Blue Dart, DTDC, Wow Express, Swiggy, Grofers, BigBasket, Milkbasket, Dunzo, Big Bazaar, Snapdeal, Licious, Medlife, PharmEasy, Urbanclap, Ninjacart, Honasa Consumer Pvt Ltd, Healthians Diagnostics, Delhivery Pvt Ltd, Nutrimoo Milk Dairy, More Retail Ltd, Easyday, Jabong, Myntra, Spencer’s, Reliance Fresh, Jubilant Food Works, Foodpanda, Faaso’s, Pizza Hut, Uber Eats, Needs Supermart Pvt Ltd., 1mg, Dr Lal PathLabs, Max-Path, Satvacart and any other e-commerce retailers/operators shall be allowed to operate,” stated the order.

The order comes after several services stopped operations following the harassment of their delivery personnel at various checkpoints in the city. Both Gurgaon police and the district administration had on Tuesday held meetings to discuss measures to ensure smooth supply of goods to residents at their doorsteps during the next three weeks.

The district administration had also announced that 15 ‘mobile grocery shops’ would be started in the district to supply essentials such as rice, flour, pulses and salt to people near their homes.

Members of the maintenance and housekeeping staff of different localities and condominiums had also alleged they were repeatedly questioned by police personnel at pickets while on way to work. The Police Commissioner issued an order Wednesday listing out the “technical persons” who would be allowed movement during the lockdown.

“The following technical persons whose services are required for essential maintenance of residence, apartments, buildings, repair of appliances, and smooth running of electricity, water, sewerage, lifts, etc, shall be allowed free movement either on foot or by vehicles,” said the order.

Elaborating on those included in this category, the order listed electricians, plumbers, lift technicians, air conditioner mechanics, vehicle mechanics, generator mechanics, television mechanics, Dish TV/Cable/CCTV mechanics, internet service providers, private security guards and supervisors, gas service and CNG pipeline technicians, sanitation workers, and domestic helpers.

In the case of domestic helps, however, police clarified they would be allowed only for “senior citizens, people with special needs, and very sick people who require domestic helps to attend to their compulsory needs”.

With lack of clarity regarding movement of such persons over the past few days, some condominiums in Gurgaon have already arranged for a skeletal staff to reside within the premises.

Among the condominiums that have done so is Princeton Estate in DLF5. “To prevent security staff being stopped on the road by police”, and to prevent “any carrier” of the virus from entering the premises, the Residents’ Welfare Association has stationed “key security, housekeeping and maintenance staff” within the condominium premises.

In an email to residents, the RWA stated, “While we are making all arrangements for their food and lodging, we request you to kindly help us with extra mattresses, blankets, bedsheets in your house that can be used by them. Some of the residents have been very graceful in giving their empty apartments for lodging of these staff members.”

The district administration Thursday also called on RWAs to apply for access passes for staff handling essential services. “After careful consideration of the requirements of RWAs for access passes to staff handling essential services in colonies/sectors/condominiums, five passes will be issued as of now to each RWA,” said a release by the district administration.

“Adjoining RWAs may actively share these resources with each other in times of need. Passes should be made only for plumbers, electricians, estate managers, etc,” it stated.

No new cases of coronavirus were reported in Gurgaon on Thursday. Total cases in the district stand at 10 – the highest in Haryana, which has recorded 18 cases. According to officials, 286 samples have been sent for testing so far, of which 262 were negative and 10 people have tested positive. Results of 24 samples are awaited.

Source: Read Full Article