Kasaragod: Travellers from Kerala had a hard time on Monday after Karnataka made Covid RT-PCR negative certificates, issued within 72 hours, mandatory to enter the state.
Karnataka turned away hundreds of travellers and vehicles at Talapady border in Kasaragod as they did not have the certificates on Monday. The local residents and the Karnataka police got into altercations.
Tension escalated after the Karnataka police took Manjeshwaram native Anvar, who was protesting, into custody. Only after the local people and the Left outfits blocked the roads, Anwar was let off. As the situation turned volatile, the Kerala Police also arrived at the spot.
The Congress-League workers also stalled Karnataka's attempts to dig up the road to prevent vehicles from entering Karnataka.
Only travellers with RT-PCR negative certificates are allowed to pass through to Karnataka via Muthanga, Moolaholla, Kutta, Bavali and Makkoottam in Wayanad and into Tamil Nadu via Pattavayal, Thaloor, Cholady, and Nambiyarkunnu.
Meanwhile, quarantine has been made complusory for those arriving from other states to Bengaluru without the negative certificate. Checks have been stepped up at airports, railway stations and bus terminals.
Mangaluru ordeal
Around 60 people from Kerala were taken to a quarantine centre at Mangaluru as they did not have RT-PCR negative certificates. They were later let off.
Those who arrived at the Mangaluru central railway station in various trains by 4pm on Monday were taken to the town hall. Women with infants, nurses and nursing students were among those who were stuck at the town hall for hours. Their samples were taken for tests and were told that they will be allowed to go if the results are negative. But even after several hours, the results were not available. After people protested, women were allowed to go by 10.30pm.
The town hall is a quarantine centre and people from Maharashtra are also quarantined here, the Mangaluru police said.
Tamil Nadu makes Covid negative certificate mandatory
Tamil Nadu has also made Covid RT-PCR negative certificates mandatory for travellers from Kerala.
Coimbatore Collector G S Sameeran has instructed that RT-PCR negative certificate, not older than 72 hours, or certificate of having taken two vaccine doses were needed to enter Tamil Nadu via Walayar from Tuesday. Ambulances, vehicles en route to hospitals and goods vehicles will be allowed to pass through. Thermal scanning will be done for those who commute from Kerala daily for work.
Travel is not be allowed via Aryankavu in Kollam and Nadukani Ghat Road at Vazhikkadavu in Malappuram without the negative certificate.
