Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Feb 17: With the number of Covid cases steadily decreasing in Karnataka as well as in the country, the state government on Thursday February 17 decided to ease travel rules for people arriving from states bordering Karnataka.

In a circular issued on Thursday, the Karnataka government stated that mandatory possession of RT-PCR negative test report will be discontinued for those arriving from Goa and Kerala.

This means that people arriving from these two states will no longer have to produce RT-PCR negative test report, whether they travel by air, train, road or by public or personal vehicle.

However, the travellers from Goa and Kerala entering Karnataka will need to be fully vaccinated with two doses, and present vaccination certificate at the border.

The fresh guideline comes a day after the central government asked the states to amend Covid rules as cases are declining across the country. 

"In view of the high Covid case trajectory, certain states had imposed additional restrictions at their borders and at airports. However, while effectively managing the public health challenge of Covid-19, it is equally important that movement of people and activities should not be hampered by additional restrictions," union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said in a letter to states and union territories.

"Presently, as the case trajectory across the nation are showing a sustained downward trend, it will be useful if states/UTs review and amend/do away with the additional restrictions so imposed after considering the trend of new cases, active cases and positivity," he had said.