Nainital draws crowd of tourists amid restrictions Covid-19 third wave

Thousands of tourists flocked to Nainital during the weekend amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and despite the Uttarakhand government's recently imposed restrictions on travelers to the hill state.

On Sunday, more than 10,000 tourists reportedly reached the popular hill station in Uttarakhand's Kumaon region. However, police allowed entry to only those with negative RT-PCR test reports and proof of confirmed accommodation.

Uttarakhand has been witnessing a massive influx of tourists from across northern India after the state government eased the movement within the state with an aim to revive the tourism industry.

Such instances of overcrowding have led to fears that the upcoming third of the pandemic in the country might be more severe than earlier imagined.

Moreover, many tourists were seen thronging the already crowded town without wearing masks and adhering to the physical distancing norms necessitated to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Visuals shared by sources on Twitter handle showed a large number of people gathering at a congested marketplace in Nainital.

The district magistrate of Nainital Dhiraj Singh Garbyal last week announced fresh norms for tourists, in which anyone coming to Nainital will have to register on the Smart City portal and carry a negative report of RT-PCR test conducted not less than 72 hours before their arrival.

There is also a ban on the entry of two-wheelers to Nainital during weekends to reduce traffic congestion and restrict the number of travelers to the lake city.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had also ordered a capping of 50% occupancy at hotels in popular tourist destinations like Nainital, Dehradun and Mussoorie, after visuals of unruly travelers taking bath at Kempty Falls with zero regard for Covid-19 induced safety norms went viral on social media.

The move came close on the heel of the Centre voicing concerns over overcrowding at tourist destinations across India. Visuals of overcrowded streets emerged on social media from Manali with no people defying physical distancing norms. The Union health ministry then issued a warning against what it called 'revenge travel' and crowding of these tourist spots.Nainital draws crowd of tourists amid restrictions Covid-19 third wave