Covid-19 outbreak: Now, Arunachal Pradesh bans entry of foreign tourists

KOLKATA: Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday announced the decision to ban entry of foreigners into the state in a bid to insulate itself from novel coronavirus (nCoV). In a notification issued by state chief secretary Naresh Singh, the state announced the suspension of Protected Area Permit required to visit the state. The notification did not state when the issue of permits will resume.
The move comes barely two days after Sikkim and a day after Bhutan announced curbs on foreigners, virtually sealing nearly all access points to the eastern Himalayas except through Darjeeling. Already jittery over the loss of high-value foreign travellers following the twin bans earlier, travel agents in Kolkata said the ban imposed by Arunachal would leave the travel trade industry battered.
Some are, however, hopeful that if Bengal manages to stay free of Covid-19, tourists will flock to Darjeeling during the peak season. “Everyone needs a break. If there are no Covid-19 cases in Darjeeling, it should hold its own,” said a hotelier in the hill town.
Sikkim had stopped the issue of inner line permit (ILP) on Thursday. ILP is required by foreign nationals touring the state. On Friday, Bhutan announced a ban on entry of foreign visitors after an American who had arrived from India tested positive.
To curb the threat of Covid-19 in the Northeast, several screening and testing centres have been set up along India’s borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh. There are two international airports in the region, Guwahati and Imphal. While there are no international flights operating to Imphal at present, the only airline that operated to Guwahati, connecting it to Singapore, Thailand and Bhutan, was Druk Air. With Bhutan banning entry of foreign visitors, that flight too has become irregular.