KATHMANDU, MAY 05
The government has shortlisted eight hotels in the valley to accommodate passengers coming to Nepal from India. While the government has halted operation of most international flights from midnight of May 6, it has allowed flights to and from India. Thus, to quarantine passengers arriving from the southern neighbour, the government has shortlisted eight hotels.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), air travellers from India will have to stay quarantined in the designated eight hotels only.
The ministry has shortlisted View Bhrikuti Hotel at Godavari, Madhav Hotel at Guheswari, Airport Hotel at Gaushala, Amadablam Hotel at Gaushala, Readers Inn at Gaushala, Ananda Ashram at Gaushala and A-One Resort at Jagati for hotel quarantine. The hotels have allocated between 10 and 91 rooms in their facility for the quarantine purpose.
According to the ministry, these hotels will transport passengers from the airport as well as provide food and accommodation. The hotels have been instructed to charge a maximum of Rs 3,000 per person, including value added tax and service charges.
In coordination with the Nepal Airlines Corporation and Air India, the Nepal Tourism Board has been assigned the responsibility of collecting the details of the passengers and assisting in quarantine management of the passengers.
Passengers from India must stay in quarantine for 10 days. If they're found to be not abiding by the rules, the hotels will have to report them to the police.
Amid this, the government has also decided to allow four airports, including Tribhuvan International Airport, to operate emergency flights. As the government has also halted domestic flights, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has decided to allow emergency flights from four airports.
According to the CAAN, emergency flights can be operated TIA, Nepalgunj airport, Surkhet airport and Lukla airport.
As the mountaineering season in ongoing and the prohibitory orders have imposed in more than 40 districts of the country, mountaineers may seek medical help or rescue any time. Thus, for emergency flights the government has allowed four airports to operate. Apart from this, chopper rescue for those needing medical attention will also be allowed.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 6, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
