Government issues fresh rules for inter-State travel

• 14-day quarantine mandatory for all travellers including Defence, Railway, ISRO and medical professionals
• In Mysuru, six hotels with 266 rooms reserved for facility quarantine; free accommodation at Morarji School

Bengaluru/Mysuru: The Karnataka Government has tightened restrictions to those who are coming from high-risk States. At the same time, it has decided to allow commercial activities including opening up of hotels, restaurants and temples from June 1. Broad guidelines are awaited from the Centre in this regard.

It has been decided that passengers coming from ‘high prevalence States’ (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh) would be required to undergo a seven-day “institutional quarantine” which will be followed by home quarantine of 7 days.

The new norms also said that home quarantine of 14 days would be necessary for all passengers coming from other States. “No quarantine for business passengers having a negative test report, obtained within two days prior to the date of travel, from the ICMR approved lab,” said the order issued by Health and Family Welfare Department, detailing the guidelines.

Institutional quarantine for 14 days is mandatory for members of Defence, para-military, Railways, DRDO, ISRO, PSUs in the dedicated guest house or quarantine facility of the concerned organisation. Home quarantine for 14 days in rural areas for those staying in their farmhouses,” reads the order.

The new guidelines said that all incoming persons should obtain an e-pass from Karnataka Government’s Seva Sindhu portal. Home quarantine for 14 days has also been mandated for medical professionals, nurses, paramedical staff, sanitation personnel and ambulance staff.

The decision to impose restrictions follows the recent arrival of a large number of people from other States. Scores of those returning from the affected Western States tested positive in quarantine, leading to a spike in the number of infections in Karnataka.

Six hotels in Mysuru

In Mysuru, six hotels have been reserved for people who will be placed under institutional quarantine for 7 days. The hotels have been reserved in areas such as Bannimantap (45 rooms), Ring Road Hebbal (32 rooms), Metagalli (60 rooms), Mandi Mohalla (65 rooms), Emerald Enclave Hebbal (35 rooms) and Nazarbad (29 rooms).

In all, there are 266 rooms and the price of the rooms range from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,800 per person per day including meals and taxes. Those who cannot afford the hotels will be provided free accommodation and food at Morarji Desai Hostel, Varakodu, sources added.

21,607 outside entry requests stalled

Reports from Bengaluru say that the earlier decision of banning the entry of people from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu into Karnataka has resulted in the stalling of as many as 21,607 requests by people currently located in these States to enter Karnataka. These include 10,568 requests from Maharashtra and 10,351 from Tamil Nadu.

“Those who are coming from these States do not have medical certificates. We have allowed them to come and so new cases of COVID-19 have emerged. For the time being we have stopped entries from Gujarat, Maharashtra and TN until the situation clears and we feel it is alright in the context,” Karnataka Minister S. Suresh Kumar said.

Borders closed

Also, the State Government has closed roads and sealed forest areas in Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border to stop people from entering the State illegally slipping past check-posts. Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar told reporters in Mysuru today that entry through forests from Tamil Nadu has been blocked.

The DC was addressing media after receiving a memorandum from Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene that demanded various facilities to farmers who are suffering due to COVID-19. The farmer activists staged a protest in front of DC Office this morning.

“There were complaints of people entering Karnataka from Kerala through D.B. Kuppe and Machoor to buy liquor. These entrants come through the river that has less water now. We have asked the Forest Department to increase patrolling and also four licenced liquor shops in the area have been closed,” he said.