Uttarakhand travel guidelines: COVID-19 test mandatory for people coming from Delhi

After a rise in Covid-19 cases, the Uttarakhand Police on Saturday announced that they would monitor details of the movement of people from other states to Uttarakhand.

The entry will be allowed to the people coming from outside states, especially from Delhi, at the Ashkrodi, Kulhan, and Pass Gate border check posts of the state only after undergoing the Rapid Antigen Covid-19 test.

The development has come at a time when coronavirus cases in Uttarakhand's capital Dehradun are on the rise. "Strict instructions are given to the policemen posted on the border check posts for proper checking and keeping the full details of people coming from other states to Uttarakhand," said Arun Mohan Joshi, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Dehradun.

Earlier on Saturday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat during a virtual conference had instructed officials to ensure that COVID-19 test results are available within 24 hours in urban areas and 48 hours in hilly areas.

According to an official release, "The Chief Minister instructed the District Magistrates to increase the testing speed in the districts and special attention should be paid to the RT-PCR test. Those who are found negative in the antigen test but are symptomatic, then their RT-PCR must be conducted. It should be ensured that the results of COVID-19 tests should be available within 24 hours in urban areas and 48 hours in hilly areas."

Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand state capital is preparing for a weekly lockdown of all market places from Sunday, November 29 with the exception of shops selling essential items.

At present, the state has recorded 4,812 active cases of coronavirus, while 67,514 people have recovered from the deadly virus, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) bulletin reported today.

(With ANI inputs)