Amid fresh Covid-19 lockdown, J&K to open for tourists in phased manner

At a time when lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19 has been re-imposed in the Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to throw open the union territory to tourists once again from July 14 in a phased manner.

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The first phase will see tourists arriving by air only. The intending tourists, as per an order issued by the government, have been advised “to board a pre-booked transport vehicle from the airport on their arrival which will be arranged by the hotel they have already booked”.

“The tourists must have confirmed return air tickets to any place outside Jammu and Kashmir, either to their departure point or any other destination,” the order said. RT-PCR testing of all tourists at the airport on arrival is also mandatory.

Pertinently, the tourists will not be allowed to move out from the pre-booked hotels unless the sample report comes negative for Covid-19. The tourists testing Covid-19 positive will be sent for treatment to a medical facility, as per the protocol.

The tourists above 65 years of age have been advised to avoid coming to Jammu and Kashmir for tourism holiday. All tourists should have Aarogya Setu app installed on their phones and shall be checked for safe status on the app at the time of their arrival.

However, the order has been issued at a time when restrictions on public movement and activities have been re-imposed in Srinagar and few other districts of Kashmir after a sharp spike in Covid-19 positive cases was reported in the last couple of weeks.

The tourism players have questioned the timing of throwing open Kashmir for tourists. “When we have been asked to shut our restaurants and hotels, how will tourists come and stay here? The government orders have only created confusion,” said Lateef Lone, owner of Hotel Eatout, in city centre Lal Chowk.