News

Delhi Zoo to reopen for visitors from August 1 with COVID protocols in place

Delhi Zoo is all set to reopen for visitors from August 1. After remaining shut for more than three months due to the rise in Coronavirus cases during the second wave of pandemic, the zoo is now all set to welcome visitors Reportedly, the zoo remained closed for more than a year earlier due to bird flu and the first wave of Coronavirus. Then, it was reopened to the public on April 1, only to be closed again on April 15 due to the rise in COVID cases. Referring to this, Zoo Director Ramesh Pandey stated that they are ready and planning to open the National Zoological Park from August 1. He added that they have been preparing for things to be in order, and the zoo will be operated in two shifts as earlier. He further informed that online bookings will be made available from July 31. One can buy tickets online from the zoo's website. As the zoo will be operating in two shifts, the first shift will be from 8 AM till noon, where the second shift will be from 1 PM to 5 PM. As per the reports, a total of 1500 people will be allowed in each slot. As per the Zoo Director, they take steps to increase or decrease the number of visitors in the zoo once a trend sets in. Pandey also added that they will try to maintain COVID appropriate behaviour and sanitize the zoo to keep it disinfected. The sanitisation drill will be done twice daily, i.e., before the zoo opens and after it closes for the day.

Read more

Yay! 5 Countries Where Unvaccinated Indians Can Now Fly to With a Covid RT-PCR Test

As the Covid-19 situation is somewhat stable in the country, many foreign countries have opened up their borders for travellers from India. Interestingly, as a piece of good news for international travellers and students, many countries are now allowing entry to the Indian travellers on tourist visas. However, the travellers need to produce negative COVID RT-PCR test report, adhere to Covid safety protocols and guidelines. 5 Countries Where Unvaccinated Indians Can Now Fly to With a Negative Covid Test Maldives As you all know, Maldives opened its borders for travellers from South Asian countries including India from July 15 onwards. The travellers need to carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test report before entry to the island nation. Time to fly to the beaches and the clear blue waters! Go, pack your bags. Russia Passengers need to present a negative RT-PCR test report on arrival. Good news is that Russia has now opened its borders to Indians; however, travellers need to adhere to several Covid-related guidelines to enter into the nation. For entry to Russia: You need to have an invitation from a government-mandated tourist agency. You must apply for a tourist visa that is valid for up to 30 days for single entry or double entry. Also, travellers need to produce a negative RT-PCR test report on arrival. Test must be done within 72 hours prior to arrival. You will also have to undergo an on-spot Covid test on arrival. Those testing positive will be transferred to a COVID testing facility. Russia has recently witnessed surge in Covid cases, hence the Covid-related travel guidelines may change anytime. Please get yourself updated with the latest travel protocols before making your travel plans!

Read more

France approves ‘health pass’ for restaurants and travel

France has now approved a bill that says that a health pass shall be required for all to gain access to restaurants, bars, trains, and planes, starting from August. In France, at establishments that accommodate more than 50 people (including museums, cinemas, and swimming pools), you are already required to show proof of vaccination, or a recent negative test report. The bill was approved on Monday at the French parliament, which also mandates vaccinations for all health workers. The measures have led to protests in the country. But, according to the French President, Emmanuel Macron, the measures are required to protect vulnerable people as well as hospitals. This is also seen as a way to avoid lockdowns, and curb the spread of the virus. According to the new law, health workers should start getting vaccinated by September 15. Otherwise, they risk suspension. For now, the health pass for restaurants, trains, planes, and public venues are applicable to adults, but it will also be applicable to anyone who is 12 years or older from September 30. All you have to do is show paper or digital documents as proof of vaccination, or a negative Covid test report that was done recently. The law also suggests that the government will lay out rules as to how vaccination documents of foreign countries are to be handled. As of now, the rules are applied until November 15, depending on the infection rates, and the state of the pandemic. Macron recently visited a hospital in French Polynesia, where he asked, “What is your freedom worth if you say to me ‘I don’t want to be vaccinated,’ but tomorrow you infect your father, your mother or myself?” He further said that protesters can express themselves in a calm and respectful way, and he reminded that these demonstrations will not make the virus go away.

Read more

Telangana’s Ramappa Temple bags UNESCO World heritage tag

Telangana’s Ramappa Temple, a 13th-century engineering marvel and a place of worship, has attained the UNESCO World Heritage City tag, the Culture Ministry said on Sunday. The temple is named after its architect, Ramappa. The government proposed the site as its only nomination for UNESCO World Heritage site this year. Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy in a tweet giving away this news expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for his guidance. Calling the iconic Ramappa Temple a showcase of the “outstanding craftsmanship of the Kakatiya dynasty”, PM Modi asked his countrymen to visit the place of historical importance and get “first-hand experience of its grandness.” Several other leaders like the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaramanan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed their happiness for India’s achievement. Ramappa temple is located in Mulugu district in Telangana, with Warangal as the nearest town. Due to the Covid-19 situation, this year the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO could not conduct their yearly meeting and the nominations for 2020 and those for 2021 were discussed over virtual meetings. Discussion over the Ramappa temple and if it qualifies for the World Heritage site list took place today. Over 21 members in the WHC with China as the Chairholder selected the Telangana temple. Architecture of the Ramppa temple The Rudreswara temple was constructed in 1213 AD when Recharla Rudra of the Kakatiya dynasty was the empire of that place. He was a general of Ganapati deva, the Kakatiya scion. The temple’s presiding deity is that of Ramalimgeswara Swamy. Its sculptor Ramappa executed the works of the temple for four decades. The temple is an exhibit of the culture of the Kakatiyas with its distinct decoration and technology used for building the place. It stands as a testimony to the Kakatiya creative genius. The temple stands on a six feet high platform with walls shaped like a star. Its walls, ceilings, pillars are adorned with intricate carvings that attest to the unique skill of the Kakatiya sculptors. After visiting the Ramappa temple you can also visit the Warangal Fort, Bhadrakali Temple, Kakatiya Musical Garden, Padmakshi Temple and Kakatiya Rock garden in close proximity.

Read more

Surge in travel expected during festive season starting Aug-Sept

Despite an impending third wave in the country, Indians are planning to travel either to meet their friends/family or take a much-needed break, said travel operators as well as recent survey conducted by community social media platform LocalCircles. During the month of August and September many parts of India have holidays for festivals like Rakhi, Janamashtmi, Independence Day, Onam and Ganesh Chaturthi, to name a few. This has triggered the desire to among people to take up travel and visit friends and family in addition to the pent up demand for leisure travel during these holidays. Thomas Cook (India) and SOTC, for instance, stated that the upcoming festive season is seeing encouraging interest with demand upwards of 35% over last year. Thomas Cook has also launched Durga Pujo specials with deals such as book one-get one free and a free staycation. “This has witnessed a strong uptick of over 50% in queries in merely a couple of days. While Indians typically travel home to be with family to celebrate festivals, this year pent-up demand appears to be driving appetite for destinations like Ladakh, Kashmir and Andamans, rather than home stations. Despite limited reopening of borders, Indians are keen to travel to Russia, Maldives, Mauritius, Egypt, and based on recent announcements on Covishield acceptance, to Switzerland and France too," said Rajeev Kale, president & country head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India). Meanwhile, SOTC India is offering select tours which also include special festive meals and a vegetarian menu to create the celebratory ambiance while on holiday. “Demand is coming primarily from family and extended family who prefer our group escorted tours or ad-hoc group products; equally young working professionals/millennials. Our outdoor and experiential range – hiking, trekking, biking with stays in tents/a fort or a plantation villa amidst tea/coffee estates is seeing strong interest," said Daniel D’souza, president & country head, leisure, SOTC Travel. These trends are in line with the recent LocalCircles survey which stated that as many as 28% citizens have expressed their intention to travel in the upcoming festive months of August-September. Only 5% of citizens surveyed however have booked their tickets and accommodation. The survey received more than 18,000 responses from citizens residing in 311 districts of India. 68% respondents were men while 32% respondents were women. 42% respondents were from tier I, 29% from tier II and 29% respondents were from tier III, IV and rural districts.

Read more

Singapore aims to start quarantine-free travel by September

Singapore is looking to allow quarantine-free travel for those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from September, when 80% of the city-state's population should be inoculated, the government said on Monday. Singapore will establish travel corridors with countries or regions where COVID-19 is under control, and those who are vaccinated may not have to quarantine or may be allowed to isolate at home, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said. The city-state is also set to review whether to loosen curbs in early August, when two-thirds of its population would be fully inoculated. "The easing will be differentiated and extended to only vaccinated persons, because they are much better protected against the effects of the virus," Wong said. "If you want to go out to dine in the restaurant or workout in the gym, you have to be fully vaccinated." Last week, the country tightened social curbs, including halting restaurant dining and banning gatherings of more than two people for one month, after a rise in infections. More than half the country has received both doses of either Pfizer-BioNTech (PFE.N), (22UAy.DE) or Moderna (MRNA.O) vaccines. It has inoculated nearly 75% of its 5.7 million people with at least one dose, the world's second-highest rate behind the United Arab Emirates, a Reuters tracker shows. As countries with advanced vaccination campaigns prepare to live with COVID-19 as an endemic disease, their focus is turning to preventing death and serious diseases through vaccination. Still, Singapore may not do away with all of its social distancing measures. For example, it may remove its mask mandate for outdoors, but require people to keep them on in an indoor enclosed environment, Wong said.

Read more