Travel restrictions for Kerala and Maharashtra are being tightened in Karnataka

Kochi: Due to the ‘current COVID-19 situation,’ Karnataka has tightened travel restrictions for people arriving from Kerala and Maharashtra.

“Persons arriving from Kerala and Maharashtra should produce a negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours, regardless of vaccination status,” the Karnataka government said in a press release on Saturday.

Students and members of the general public who visit Karnataka on a daily basis for education, business, and other reasons have been asked to submit to RT-PCR tests every 15 days.

Kerala has reported over 20,000 cases for the fifth day in a row.

According to the Karnataka government, the conditions will apply to passengers travelling by train, bus, flight, and even personal transport.

Only those who meet the criteria will be issued boarding passes by airlines and railway authorities. Furthermore, bus drivers have been urged to check RT-PCR negative certificates before boarding passengers.

Karnataka has also announced the establishment of checkpoints in Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, and Mysore, which border Kerala, as well as Belagavi, Vijayapura, Kalburgi, and Bidar, which border Maharashtra.

Exemptions from the RT-PCR rule will be granted to constitutional functionaries, healthcare professionals, children under the age of two, and in cases of emergency, such as a family death or treatment.

In light of the rising number of COVID cases in Kerala’s neighbouring districts, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has called a high-level meeting for Saturday evening.

After Bommai returns from New Delhi, the meeting will be held at the Chief Minister’s official residence, Krishna.

The Chief Minister will also hold a video conference with the deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, Zilla panchayat CEOs, and health and family welfare department officers from the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi, Chamarajanagar, and Mysore, which border Kerala.

A video conference will also be held for Chikkamagalur district officers.

He will also meet with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials to monitor the situation in Bengaluru.

He will also assess the situation in Shivamogga, the hometown of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

Meanwhile, the BBMP has issued strict orders to enforce its orders to seal residential areas, including apartments, where three or more cases have been reported.

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