No Covid-19 negative report needed, Uttarakhand eases norms for tourists

The Uttarakhand government has eased coronavirus norms for tourists, exempting them from producing a negative test report on arrival.

In a revised set of guidelines for tourists, Chief Secretary Om Prakash said it is not mandatory for them to bring coronavirus negative report before checking into a hotel or homestay.

Moreover, the requirement of a mandatory stay of a minimum two days in a hotel or homestay will also not be required anymore, he added.

However, it will be mandatory for tourists coming to the state by any mode of transportation to register on the Smart City portal prior to their travel, the latest set of directions that came into effect on Wednesday said.

For latest updates on Coronavirus outbreak, click here

The new directions supersede the order issued on September 19 by which tourists were required to produce a negative RT-PCR test report issued by an ICMR-authorised lab not more than 96 hours ahead of their arrival, the order issued by the chief secretary said.

However, checks like thermal scanning, sanitisation and other prescribed health protocols for hotels and restaurants must be complied with, the new guidelines said.

In case a tourist is found coronavirus positive, the hotel management shall intimate the district administration and make an arrangement for random testing to ensure the compliance of the guidelines issued by Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.