Chandigarh, May 15 (IANS): The inter-state movement of those engaged in providing essential services, including medical professionals, resumed on Friday between Haryana and Delhi after a fortnight's hiatus, officials said.

Also the state, the first in the country, restarted bus service initially in 10 districts.

However, people offering essential services need to procure an e-pass that is issued in just half an hour.

"The Haryana-Delhi border is opened for to and fro movement of people. It is round-the-clock manned by security personnel," a government official told IANS here.

He said the movement of trucks carrying essential and non-essential goods between Haryana and Delhi, except to and fro between containment zones, would be allowed.

The movement of people who manned essential services would be allowed on production of e-passes.

An e-pass will be valid for the entire duration of the lockdown and can be used for multiple visits, he said.

However, they would be quarantined if they test positive for COVID-19 or have been found to be in contact with a COVID-19 patient.

The Delhi-Gurugram border was sealed by the Haryana police on May 1 and even doctors were not exempted.

Taking the lead in the country, Haryana on Friday restarted its roadways bus service.

Online booking and wearing masks are mandatory to board the bus, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar informed in a tweet.

Initially, the buses plied from 10 depots of Ambala, Bhiwani, Hisar, Kaithal, Karnal, Narnaul, Panchkula, Rewari, Rohtak and Sirsa on select point-to-point routes.

"One bus was operated between Sirsa and Panchkula towns with 10 passengers on board," a Haryana Roadways employee told IANS over phone.

Passenger Naresh Yadav said this was a big relief for the stranded people.

"It is a praiseworthy decision of the government to restart bus services, a big relief for the common man and those stranded at various locations," Yadav said.

The Delhi government has welcomed the opening of the inter-state border, saying, "This is the time to work together as a nation and fully support our corona warriors."

In a major relief to those stranded in the national capital owing to the imposition of the nationwide lockdown, the Haryana government has now decided to run special buses from May 18.

For this online ticket booking is a must.

Also the buses will take the passengers from the state to the railway station in New Delhi.

Haryana Transport Minister Moolchand Sharma said the government has decided to ply state transport buses between the state and New Delhi for the convenience of people.

Online booking can be done through the portal hartrans.gov.in and the passengers with confirmed booking will be allowed to enter the bus stand.

Sharma said the buses would operate from the railway station in New Delhi to the scheduled bus stand of Haryana Roadways and no passenger will be allowed to board or get off from the bus en route.

Buses passing through coronavirus-affected districts will take the bypass or flyover route.

He said taking special care of social distancing norms only 30 passengers will be accommodated in a bus.

Thermal screening of passengers will be done before entering the bus stands and it will be necessary for every passenger to wear a mask and follow social distancing norms.

The minister said if bus operations on any route would not be possible due to any reason, it will be cancelled and information will be given two hours before its departure.

Accordingly, the fare will be refunded if the bus is cancelled.