Travellers from Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab will have to show a negative coronavirus certificate to enter Delhi from February 26 to March 15, reported ANI.
Only those travelling by flights, trains or buses will have to show the certificates, while those travelling by road are exempted, reported NDTV, citing unidentified officials. Officers in these states will be asked to verify the Covid-19 negative reports from tests taken up to 72 hours before the flight before allowing passengers to leave for the national Capital.
An official said that an order will be issued in this regard later in the day, according to PTI. The matter was discussed in a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Monday.
Several states in India are witnessing a surge in coronavirus cases. On Wednesday, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka and Gujarat accounted for 86.16% of the 13,742 new coronavirus cases reported in the last day.
Besides Delhi, other states have started taking preventing measures to check the spread of the infection. Karnataka has also asked people from Maharashtra and Kerala to produce a negative coronavirus certificate, obtained through a test taken 72 hours before their journey to the state.
The Chhattisgarh government has directed authorities to screen people coming from other places through different modes of transportation. The Punjab government has said the number of people allowed in indoor gatherings will be capped at 100, while for those held outdoors, it will be 200.
The district administration in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat, which shares the border with Maharashtra, had announced night curfew and other restrictions.
The Maharashtra government had on Sunday imposed new restrictions in several districts. A week-long lockdown was announced in Amravati from Monday. Pune, on the other hand, said restrictions will be imposed on night-time movement and large gatherings.
On Tuesday, the Union health ministry directed the states witnessing a surge in coronavirus cases to expedite the vaccination of their healthcare and frontline workers.
Meanwhile, India on Wednesday registered 13,742 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall count to 1,10,30,176. The new cases are nearly 30% higher than Tuesday’s count. The country’s toll rose to 1,56,567 as 104 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. The health ministry said that daily recoveries were higher than the daily new cases in the last 24 hours.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!