After videos of tourists flouting COVID-19 restrictions in Uttarakhand began to emerge, coupled with flash floods in some parts of the state,?the government has brought in some additional strict measures.
The Uttarakhand government has extended the coronavirus lockdown imposed in the state by another week till July 20, and authorised district magistrates to cap the number of tourists visiting popular destinations in their jurisdictions on weekends if necessary.
Additionally, the state government has now made it mandatory for tourists to carry a negative RT-PCR certificate not older than 72 hours and proof of hotel bookings made before their arrival in Uttarakhand.
"A clear message has been given to the tourists that if they are coming to Uttarakhand, RT-PCR test, registration, and a prior hotel booking are mandatory for everyone," Uttarakhand police headquarters spokesperson Nilesh Anand Bharane told ANI.
Bharane appealed to the tourists coming to Uttarakhand to not restrict themselves to Mussoorie and Nainital as there are many more tourist places in the state that should be explored to avoid unnecessary crowding at one place. He cautioned tourists that they will not be allowed entry without registration, RT-PCR test and hotel bookings.
Covid-appropriate behaviour like wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing must be maintained strictly at all places and violators penalised, the order said.Other relaxations that have been granted already are going to continue, it added.
Commercial establishments will be open from 8 am to 7 pm daily and closed on Sundays.Hotels and restaurants can open for dining at 50 per cent capacity.?
Coaching centres for job aspirants, malls and gyms can also open at 50 per cent capacity.Cinema halls, swimming pools and entertainment parks will, however, remain closed, the guidelines said.
Tourists have been arriving in large numbers over the past few days at Mussoorie, Nainital, Haridwar, Rishikesh. Mussoorie's circle officer Narendra Pant told news agency ANI that tourists are being stopped at Kuthal Gate to check if they have registered on the smart city portal and are carrying a negative Covid-19 test report with them.
Recorded messages urging people to abide by Covid-19 preventive measures are being played in Mussoorie. This has caused the footfall to decline in comparison to last week, Pant added.
Authorities in Nainital have banned the entry of tourists to the city lake during the day over weekends.Tourism dependent states have opened up for visitors and visuals of maskless crowds thronging tourist spots have been doing the rounds on social media.
Experts have been cautioning state governments against doing away with Covid-19 restrictions too soon. Union ministry of health and family welfare joint secretary, Luv Aggarwal, has warned against pandemic fatigue and cautioned that the coronavirus disease is still ¡°among us¡± even though the restrictions have been lifted.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also urged countries to control social mixing as the Delta variant rages through the globe.