Uttarakhand mulls 'COVID insurance' for foreign pilgrims coming to Mahakumbh 2021

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Tourism and Culture Minister Satpal Maharaj on Friday wrote to the Centre, suggesting to introduce 'Covid insurance' policy for Mahakumbh 2021. The religious event is scheduled in less than a month in January 2021. 

In a letter to Minister of State (Independent charge) for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel, Satpal Maharaj wrote, "the Kumbh Mela also attracts hundreds of foreign devotees. Therefore, it is important to get COVID-19 life insurance for the protection of the pilgrims who come here. Countries like Singapore and others are already offering such insurance policies."

He also added that "to reduce the fear of coronavirus pandemic among foreign tourists and push them to visit India, the introduction of a COVID-19 tourist insurance policy appears to be necessary."

In his letter to the Union minister, Satpal Maharaj said that as many as 10.9 billion foreign tourists visited India in 2019 but the tourism activities in the country have been greatly affected due to the pandemic. 

Meanwhile, the state government is thinking of making online registration mandatory to visit Mahakumbh 2021. 

The state government officials told the Uttarakhand High Court that the government is considering making online registration mandatory for all pilgrims in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The submission came last week while the court was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations together about condition of Covid 19 quarantine centers, hospitals and medical facilities in the hill state by assistant solicitor general (ASG) Rakesh Thapliyal.