Palanpur: Citing rising Covid-19 cases in its neighbouring states, Rajasthan government has taken the decision of sealing its borders with all other states including Gujarat.
Since Sunday morning all the checkpoints on Rajasthan-Gujarat border were sealed. Visitors travelling from Gujarat to Rajasthan are being asked to produce a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR) report for entry into the state.
It was on Friday that Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s office had issued a statement mentioning that visitors to Rajasthan from four states including Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh will have to furnish RT-PCR negative reports for Covid-19 for entry. It is also applicable to visitors from Maharashtra and Kerala which was notified earlier by the state government.
Visitors are being asked to produce a negative report of RT-PCR test done 72 hours before the time of travel.
Even as checking of passengers began on Sunday, those who had come to Gujarat from Rajasthan went through a lot of inconvenience as their entry back home hangs in balance.
Rajasthan government has erected check posts in Aravalli district and other areas bordering Gujarat. On Sunday, many travellers were unable to enter Rajasthan including those who had come from other states to Gujarat and were on their way to North India passing through the neighbouring state.
The Gehlot government has also kept police bandobast at all border check posts and health workers teams meticulously check the health conditions of those arriving at the borders and scan their reports.
Businessmen from both the states are worst hit as they routinely travel to and fro. “We travel so often between the two states. How, do you expect us to produce a RT-PCR negative report every time we enter Rajasthan,” said an aggrieved trader, who was surprised by the sudden decision to close the borders at such a short notice.
Many Rajasthani families and travellers from other states who were held on the borders were angry with Gehlot government’s “dictat” that came like a bolt from the blue for them.