Valpoi: In the wake of cases of coronavirus’ Delta plus variant surfacing in various states, authorities in Goa have stopped entry of vehicles into the state from a forest area on the Chorla ghat.

According to sources, the authorities have stopped the entry of vehicles from ‘Jamblikade’ on the Chorla ghat from where vehicles from Karnataka enter Goa via Pali in Sattari taluka.

Citing chances of vehicles using this shortest route to enter Goa by bypassing the checkpost at Keri, where laboratory has been set up to test people entering the state, authorities have now deployed police personnel at the forest department’s checkpost in Pali.

It has been observed that many people use this route to proceed to Belagavi in Karnataka while some people from the neighbouring state also use the route to enter Goa.

“We have received directions from the taluka authorities to be more vigilant and stop the route until further orders. There were chances of visitors entering Goa via this route and bypassing the checkpost where every vehicle goes through the procedure of thermal scanning and the tourists mandatorily need to be tested,” said an official posted at the forest department checkpost.

Many vehicles from Goa proceeding towards Karnataka were on Sunday stopped at Pali.

“In the wake of the pandemic and as a precautionary measure against the Delta variant of the virus, the state government has taken these steps to regulate the movement of people entering Goa. They will be tested at the authorised laboratories set up at the Keri checkpost. So, entry of vehicles through this route, passing from forest area, will no longer be allowed until further orders,” said a forest department official posted at the checkpost, while refusing entry to some youth, who were pleading with the officials to open the gate.