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New regulation for tourists heading to Uttarakhand – Only 15,000 people can visit Mussoorie during weekends

In wake of the emerging variants of the Covid-19 virus, the Uttarakhand administration has amended travel guidelines for tourist destinations in the Himalayan state as now only 15,000 people are allowed to visit the hill station of Mussoorie during weekends. “Only 15,000 people can visit Mussoorie during weekends. It is mandatory for the visitors to carry RT-PCR negative report, not older than 72 hours,” Dehradun District Magistrate R Rajesh Kumar said on Thursday. Mussoorie Covid-19 tourist guidelines UttarakhandRepresentational Image. KEY HIGHLIGHTSThe state government had on Monday extended the Covid-induced curfew till September 7People coming from other states must have a certificate of both doses of the Covid-19 vaccineOthers must furnish an RT-PCR negative report, not older than 72 hours Dehradun: In wake of the emerging variants of the Covid-19 virus, the Uttarakhand administration has amended travel guidelines for tourist destinations in the Himalayan state as now only 15,000 people are allowed to visit the hill station of Mussoorie during weekends. “Only 15,000 people can visit Mussoorie during weekends. It is mandatory for the visitors to carry RT-PCR negative report, not older than 72 hours,” Dehradun District Magistrate R Rajesh Kumar said on Thursday. It is important to note here that three cases of the ‘AY 2’ Delta Plus variant of coronavirus was confirmed in Nainital district earlier this week. Of the 15 samples sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in July for detection of the Delta Plus variant, three confirmed the presence of the sub-variant ‘AY 2’. The patients have completely recovered from the infection though. However, the mutated variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has not been found in any of the samples, district health officials informed. Meanwhile, the Pauri Garhwal district reported the first case of the sub-variant on Monday, putting authorities on high alert. The state government had on Monday extended the Covid-induced curfew till September 7, with the restrictions being strengthened in view of the possible third wave of the pandemic in the couple of months. As per the latest Uttarakhand government order, people coming from other states must have a certificate of both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. However, for the others, entry into the state will be permitted only on furnishing an RT-PCR negative report, not older than 72 hours.

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Abu Dhabi lifts quarantine rules for fully vaccinated international passengers

Abu Dhabi will remove the need to quarantine for all vaccinated travellers arriving from international destinations starting Sunday, September 5, said the Abu Dhabi government media office on Twitter on Thursday. A negative PCR test remains a requirement to travel to the United Arab Emirates' capital, it said. All travellers must take a PCR test before flying, on arrival and then follow up tests on day 6 from green list destinations, or day 4 and 8 from non-green list countries. Here is a lowdown on the rules: -Before boarding to Abu Dhabi, all travellers must present a negative PCR test result from within 48 hours of departure. All travellers must also take a PCR test on arrival into Abu Dhabi. -Vaccinated citizens, residents and visitors arriving from green list destinations must take another PCR test on day 6, if staying in the emirate, without the need to quarantine. -From other destinations, they must take PCR tests on days 4 and 8, if staying in the emirate, without the need to quarantine. -Unvaccinated citizens, residents and visitors, including those exempt from vaccination, arriving into Abu Dhabi from green list destinations must take further PCR tests on days 6 and 9, without the need to quarantine. -Unvaccinated citizens, residents and visitors arriving from other destinations must quarantine for 10 days and take another PCR test on day 9. The announcement comes as the United Arab Emirates -- made up of seven emirates including Abu Dhabi and Dubai -- recorded zero Covid-related deaths for the first time since November 14. On Monday, the UAE resumed issuing visas to all fully vaccinated tourists, a month before Dubai hosts the delayed Expo 2020 trade fair. Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, has been more cautious, opening up to some visitors only in December. Even travellers from within the UAE must present a negative test to enter the emirate. The UAE as so far recorded more than 720,000 cases of Covid-19 infection, including 2,043 deaths. Earlier, in what came as a huge relief to Indians planning to return to Saudi Arabia after visiting India, UAE authorities announced that these people will not be asked to quarantine in a third country anymore under certain criteria. According to a tweet from the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia, it said that the above relaxation is only for Indian nationals who have travelled to India after receiving both doses of the vaccine in Saudi Arabia will be able to return to the Kingdom directly without need for quarantine in a third country.

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Karnataka’s new covid travel protocols for travellers from Kerala

In a new ruling, the Karnataka government has exempted certain travellers from Kerala from mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine, provided that they have a short-term travel plan. The new rule says that such short term travellers should be in Karnataka for three days. The rule is applicable to travellers who are in Karnataka for examination with one parent; passengers who are in transit from or to Kerala through any desired mode of transport; health care professionals, and their spouses; constitutional functionaries; children who are below two years of age; and those who are in need of emergency medical treatment, or have a death in the family. On the other hand, students and employees coming to Karnataka are required to show an RT-PCR negative certificate that is valid for one week. Such certificates should not be older than 72 hours. This is irrespective of whether these travellers have had one dose or both the doses. A circular that was issued yesterday says that all necessary arrangements are required to be made for seven-day institutional quarantine of students from Kerala The arrangements should be made by the administrators of the educational institutions, and respective employers for their students and employees. It was also mentioned in the circular that employees must be in institutional quarantine, and under no circumstances should be in home quarantine. At the end of the seven-day period, they shall be tested.

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Himachal Pradesh government sanctions 407 homestays in Lahaul and Spiti

Inaugurating development projects worth INR 66.5 crore in Lahaul-Spiti district, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that sanction have been accorded for opening of 407 homestays in the valley. He mentioned that the new homestay units will help cater to the increasing inflow of tourists as well as create new employment opportunities. Himachal Pradesh Government has made a budget provision of INR 136 crore during the current financial year for Lahaul-Spiti district under Tribal Area Development Programme out of which INR 72 crore was being spent in Lahaul area and INR 64 crore in Spiti area. Talking about promoting tourism in the region, Thakur informed that the Rohtang tunnel has opened new vistas in tourism development. “Opening of the Atal tunnel has provided all-weather road connectivity to the landlocked hinterland. The influx of tourists to the valley has increased manifold which would help in strengthening the economy of the people,” he said. According to the state tourism department, Shimla district has 433 homestays with a bed capacity of 2,676, while the entire state has 2,189 homestays with a bed capacity of 12,181. Homestays in Mashobra, Kufri, Fagu, Narkanda, Theog, Kotgarh, Kotkhai and Rohru, all places around Shimla, are popular with tourists.

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Mauritius eases travel rules for vaccinated tourists from Yesterday

Travel protocols have been further relaxed in Mauritius. The Mauritius Government has now eased isolation protocols for fully vaccinated international visitors. As per the updated rules, they will now be required to spend only seven days in a special ‘resort bubble’ hotel instead of 14 days, as prescribed earlier. This updated travel rule will come into effect from September 1. Reports have it that the Maldives has been able to carry out successful vaccination rollouts, and managed to vaccinate its 63 percent of population with the first dose of vaccine, while 56 percent of the island nation has been fully vaccinated. Referring to this, Director of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) stated that this is a major leap towards the full reopening of its borders on October 1, when vaccinated international travellers will be allowed entry without any restriction. He also added that visitors who are able to provide a negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours prior to boarding the flight will be able to explore the island freely from the moment they arrive. Currently, international visitors can book their ‘resort bubble’ holidays either directly with the hotels or via tour operators. One can even check out the list of approved COVID-19 safe resorts at: www.mauritius now.com. However, unvaccinated travellers planning to travel to Mauritius, will be required to complete a 14-day quarantine period in a designated quarantine hotel, before venturing out to explore the Indian Ocean paradise.

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Air India's Indore-Dubai flight resumes after 17 months

Air India's Indore-Dubai flight resumed operations on Wednesday, after being stopped in March last year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia attended virtually a programme organised at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport here for the resumption of this only international flight from Madhya Pradesh. "The Indore-Dubai flight is being resumed after 17 months. I remember that just five days after I became the civil aviation minister, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made the first demand to me that this flight be resumed," he said while addressing the function through video conference. The flight will take off from Indore every Wednesday at 12.35 pm Indian Standard Time and reach Dubai at 3.05 pm, officials said. From Dubai, the plane will take off every Wednesday at 4.05 pm UAE time and reach Indore at 8.55 pm. According to experts, the flight, which was initially launched on July 15, 2019 on public demand, will give a boost to tourism and trade between central India and the UAE.

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