In a huge Unlock 4 update, tourist’s favourite Himachal Pradesh has ended the e-pass and registration process and allowed free inter-state travel. The announcement was made by the government on Tuesday, however inter-state transport buses still remain banned. Thus, currently, Himachal residents as well as tourists can enter or exit without an e-pass or registration.
This major decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. Given the steep hike in Coronavirus cases and deaths in the country, the government has decided not to resume inter-state public transport buses.
Apparently, Himachal Pradesh had shut down its border to outsiders five months back. In August, the state decided to relax the lockdown norms for tourists and introduced the system of e-passes and registrations. It allowed tourist entry with COVID-19 negative test reports to revive the state’s tourism industry as it is the biggest profit-making sector of the gorgeous hill state.
Though it’s a relief for the tourism sector, public opinion was in favour of extending the COVID-19 restrictions. The decision of allowing inter-state travel comes on the day when the state recorded eight new deaths taking the Coronavirus death toll to 89, and taking the overall positive number to 10,336 with 419 fresh cases.
Himachal Pradesh is one of the most frequented hill states in the country, visited by a huge number of national and international tourists every year. A major part of the state’s economy depends on tourism, thus bringing back tourists is a priority for now.