What are restrictions on travel in India due to COVID 19? being asked by readers.Many of our readers also asked us about the details of travel restrictions imposed by government.They also asked the logic behind this restrictions.

Emergency Manager talked with many health officials and disaster management experts in Delhi and different parts of the country.We discussed the logic of this restrictions.

Most of them justified it with following points:-

1- COVID 19 infection is directly transmitted from one human to other , decrease the human interaction is the only solution to contain it.

2- COVID 19 is not a India born disease.It is a purely important problem.Its import can be controlled only by restricting foreign travel.

3- Till date no cure is available. Only solution to this problem is that it must be contained within the person who has carried it from another country.

4- Strict monitoring will enable health officials to trace the infected person and all persons conning in his contact.

The second meeting of the GoM was held at Nirman Bhawan today under the chairpersonship of Dr. Harsh
Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare. Sh. Hardeep S. Puri, Minister of Civil Aviation, Dr. S.
Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Sh. Nityananda Rai, Minister of State for Home, Shri Mansukh
Mandaviya, Minister of State (I/c), Ministry of Shipping, Chemicals and Fertilisers and Sh. Ashwini Kumar
Choubey, Minister of State, Health & Family Welfare were present.

The recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries chaired by Cabinet Secretary were placed before GoM.

After detailed deliberations on preventive measures, actions taken and preparedness for Novel Coronavirus
Disease (COVID-19), the Group of Ministers took the following decisions:

• All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project
visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March
2020 at the port of departure.
• Visa free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is kept in abeyance till April 15th 2020. This will
come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.
• Any foreign national who intends to travel to India for compelling reason may contact the nearest
Indian Mission.
• All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran,
Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after 15th February, 2020 shall be quarantined for a
minimum period of 14 days. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the
port of departure.
• Incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, are advised to avoid non-essential travel and are
informed that they can be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days on their arrival in India.
• Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. On their return, they can
be subjected to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.
• International traffic through land borders will be restricted to Designated check posts with robust
screening facilities. These will be notified separately by M/o Home Affairs.