As many as 81 people, who arrived here on Wednesday in a flight from Ladakh — where eight persons have been tested positive for coronavirus — were sent to quarantine for two-weeks.
Restricted entry has been ordered for travellers from Leh and Kargil areas to Srinagar.
An official spokesperson said that the Srinagar administration on Wednesday sent 81 passengers travelling in the Air India flight, which arrived at Srinagar airport from Leh this morning to undergo quarantining for two-week period before being allowed to proceed to their respective destinations.
“The shifting of the travellers to quarantine facilities is a preventive measure to ensure that these persons are not infected with COVID-19 and is a part of larger measures and efforts of the district administration to prevent spread of the infection in Srinagar,” he said.
He said the remaining 25 passengers preferred to return to Leh and flew back.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has ordered restricted entry of travellers from Leh and Kargil areas to Srinagar.
“The order issued under powers vested in the DM under the disaster management act 2005 states that only those travellers can enter Srinagar who have undergone quarantine for the specified two-week period immediately before the intending date of travel and certified and cleared by the competent medical authority in Ladakh,” he said.
He said travellers from Ladakh who will not have undergone quarantine in their region will have to undergo quarantine in Srinagar before being allowed to proceed.
The order also applies to road travellers from the region. The ferrying of passengers in Indian Airforce aircrafts has been suspended altogether till further notice. “Concerned authorities have been asked to ensure strict implementation of the order and all instructions therein and ensure that no exemptions are allowed,” he said.
“Restrictions have been ordered after surfacing of several confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Ladakh region and are aimed at preventing spread of the infection in Srinagar,” he added.