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Goa govt extends Covid-19 curfew again till Sept 6

The Goa government has once again extended the Covid-19 induced statewide curfew till September 6. A notification to this effect was issued on Sunday. The 24-hour curfew was first imposed on May 9 this year and since then it has been extended regularly. The Goa government has opened the majority of activities in the tourist state but the areas like casinos are yet to be reopened. Goa's Covid-19 tally went up by 74 on Sunday to reach 1,73,791, an official had said. The state had 945 active cases as of Sunday.

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India-Bangladesh air bubble pact to resume from September 3

The Civil Aviation Ministry has now announced that India and Bangladesh are all set to resume air bubble arrangement from September 3. India-Bangladesh air bubble will operate until international flights resume. India recently banned scheduled international flights until September 30. The regular scheduled flights were suspended in March last year after the outbreak of the Coronavirus. According to Rajeev Jain, Additional Director General (Media and Communications), the domestic carriers that will be operating to Dhaka would be SpiceJet, Air India, and IndiGo. India has been connecting with international countries in the form of air bubbles ever since the scheduled international flights have been banned. The air bubble pact with Bangladesh first came into effect on October 28, 2020. That was valid until March 27, 2021. India had an air bubble pact with more than 25 countries. It has been reported that under the air bubble pact, international flights can be operated into each other’s territories. But this is subject to certain conditions. The Ministry of Civil Aviation letter announcing this air bubble pact read, "Passengers travelling from Bangladesh to India shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid confirmatory molecular tests on arrival at the Indian airports concerned (port of entry). Therefore instead of a blanket restriction of 140 passengers per aircraft it is proposed that the capacity may be restricted to a specific percentage of the installed seat capacity of the aircraft (say 90 per cent or 95 per cent)."

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Now enjoy scenic views of Bengal’s Dooars in vistadome special trains

You will soon be able to explore lush green Dooars in West Bengal via trains. As per the latest reports, Indian Railways will soon start trains with vistadome coaches that will be running through the lush green Dooars. Reportedly, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has decided to start vistadome coaches in the region, in a move to boost tourism in the region. Reports have it that the Indian Railways will be operating these vistadome coaches at least three times a week, i.e., on every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Referring to this, authorities stated that the train will be stationed at New Jalpaiguri station at 7:20 AM, which will reach Alipurduar at 1 PM. The same train will then return to New Jalpaiguri at 2 PM from Alipurduar, from where it will reach its destination at 7 PM. There will be six stops in between NJP and Alipurduar, the authorities added. What is special about these vistadome coaches is that their 360-degree viewing system will let passengers enjoy great views of the surroundings. The vistadome coaches will come equipped with large windows and transparent plexiglass roofs will make sure that passengers get to see the scenic beauty of the Dooars, which is famed for its rich flora and fauna. Reports stated that these special coaches will have Wi-Fi service, automatic sliding doors, bio toilets, and LED display boards. Further, there are jungles, tea gardens, and wildlife on the route between NJP and Alipurduar, which will further add to the beauty of this journey.

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The famous Lingraj Temple in Orissa to reopen from Sept 1

One of the most prominent temples in India, the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha is all set to reopen its doors for devotees starting September 1. The temple authorities said that strict COVID-19 rules and guidelines will be followed. According to the guidelines issued by the Shree Lingaraj temple trust, devotees who have taken both doses of the Coronavirus vaccine will be allowed to enter the temple. However, devotees won’t be allowed to enter into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. As of now, the temple officials will allow 100 devotees to enter through the Lion's Gate to offer prayers. Also, devotees are not allowed to offer anything like prasad. The servitors have been asked strictly not to accept any offerings from the devotees and only darshan is allowed. In addition to this, all the servitors must have RT-PCR negative reports along with certificates of their two doses of vaccination. Then only they’ll be allowed to perform the rituals. Wearing a mask all the time is also mandatory for them. All the devotees coming in for darshan will have to maintain social distance and wear masks. Thermal screening will be conducted at the entrance of the temple. Last week, a team from the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and officials from the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation visited the Lingraj temple to inspect the condition of the 11th century temple.

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Cruise service in Ayodhya from November

Devotees and tourists will be able to set sail on the Saryu River when the Ramayana Cruise Service begins in Ayodhya before Deepotsav. The state-of-the-art luxury cruise ship will be operated by the Alaknanda Cruiseline, which launched the Alaknanda cruise service in Varanasi three years ago. According to a government spokesman, the Ramayan Cruise Service will be operated with the support of the state tourism department. "The service that will enable tourists to experience a blend of spirituality with luxury" the official said. Vikas Malviya, the director of Alaknanda Cruiseline, said, "We are very thrilled to launch the first-ever luxury cruise service -- Ramayan Cruise Service -- on the holy Saryu river in Ayodhya. We aim to give a memorable experience to the pilgrims. The ship will sail on the Saryu from one Ghat to another." The cruise will have all luxury and facilities. At the same time, it will be equipped with all the essential safety and security features as per international standards. The interiors of the cruise are based on the theme of the Ram Charitramanas. The cruise ship has large glass windows to allow passengers to see the beauty of the Ghats. The 90-minute-long trip will be called the Ram Charitramanas Tour, Malviya said. "It would cover Ram Ghat, Laxman Ghat, Guptar Ghat and other Ghats of the Saryu. The entire trip will be of around 16 kilometres," he said. A film on important events from the birth of Lord Ram to his becoming the king is being made exclusively for the trip. The film will be shown to the tourists and pilgrims on board the cruise. The cruise will also have selfie points inspired by episodes of the Ramayana. The cruise vessel, equipped with a kitchen and pantry, is being made in Kolkata and will reach Ayodhya in the first week of November. It has a hybrid engine system and bio-toilets.

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Efforts underway to develop Uttarakhand's Benital as 'astrovillage'

The Chamoli district administration has stepped up efforts to develop Benital in Karnaprayag block as an 'astro-village', according to officials. A team headed by District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana visited Benital last Thursday to explore what can be done to generate interest among tourists in the upcoming project, they said. Cottages, pathways, tent platform, restaurant with a reception, and two parking lots are also being built in Benital by the Tourism department for visitors as part of the project, Khurana said. The department has estimated a total expense of Rs 5 crore for the project and submitted a report to the administration. It has entrusted the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam with the responsibility of developing Benital as an astro-village, the DM said. A preliminary clearance for transfer of forest land for the project has already been secured, he added. Khurana advised the department to immediately start repairing the road from Simli to Benital and putting up signage along the route to attract more and more tourists to the place. "Benital already has the potential to attract tourists due to its picturesque location. Once it becomes an astro-village, it can generate self-employment opportunities for locals due to increased tourist activities," he said.

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