Kochi: Karnataka has tightened travel restrictions on persons arriving from Kerala and Maharashtra in the wake of the 'current COVID-19 situation'.
"Persons arriving from Kerala and Maharashtra should produce a negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours irrespective of vaccination status," a press release issued by the Government of Karnataka said on Saturday.
Students and the public visiting Karnataka daily for education, business and other reasons have been asked to undergo RT-PCR tests every 15 days.
Kerala has reported over 20,000 cases for the fifth day in a row. Karnataka reported 1,987 fresh cases, including 450 in Bengaluru alone while Tamil Nadu had 1,986 fresh cases, of which 204 were in Chennai, on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra had 225 Covid-fatalities and 6,959 cases on Saturday.
Karnataka government has informed that the conditions will apply to passengers travelling by train, bus, flight and even personal transport.
Airlines and railway authorities have been instructed to issue boarding passes to only those that meet the criteria. Besides, bus conductors have also been urged to verify RT-PCR negative certificates before boarding the passengers.
Karnataka has also announced the setting up of check-posts at Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Mysore that border Kerala, in addition to Belagavi, Vijayapura, Kalburgi and Bidar that borders Maharashtra.
Exemptions on the RT-PCR rule will apply to constitutional functionaries, healthcare professionals, children below two years and in case of emergencies such as a death in a family or for treatment.
In view of the rising COVID cases in neighbouring districts of Kerala, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has called a high-level meeting on Saturday evening.
The meeting is scheduled at Chief Minister's official residence, Krishna, after Bommai returns from New Delhi.
The Chief Minister will also hold a video conference with the deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, Zilla panchayat CEOs, health and family welfare department officers of Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi, Chamarajanagar and Mysore districts that share borders with Kerala.
Chikkamagalur district officers will also be addressed in a video conference.
He will also hold meetings with the authorities of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to monitor the situation in Bengaluru.
He will further take stock of the situation in Shivamogga, the home district of former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
Meanwhile, BBMP has given strict orders to implement its orders to seal the residential areas including apartments where more than three cases are being reported.
(With inputs from IANS)