Those coming to Punjab for less than 72 hours are now exempt from the mandatory home quarantine, and only need to submit a formal undertaking at the border check post.

Announcing this relaxation for inbound domestic travelers, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said it had been decided to provide this concession to facilitate students wishing to come for examinations or business travelers etc, whose stay in the state is less than 72 hours from the time of their arrival.

It has been decided to exempt such travelers from the 14-day mandatory home quarantine requirement that remains in place for domestic inbound travelers in Punjab, he said.

The exempted travelers will, however, need to submit a formal undertaking with the OIC of the check post in a standard format provided on COVA app, which they would have to download on their phones.

Besides entering their details in the app’s travelers’ information section, these persons would have to undertake that the COVA app will remain active throughout their period of stay in Punjab.

Such travelers are required to voluntarily submit that they are not coming from any containment zone and undertake not to stay for more than 72 hours in Punjab from the time of arrival in the state.

During this period, they will have to monitor their health and maintaining distance from those around, and also interact with the assigned surveillance team in case they suffer from any symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and will immediately call at 104.

All due precautions would have to be strictly adhered to and non-adherence to wearing of mask/social distancing etc would make them liable to be acted upon under section 188 of IPC as per provision of “The Epidemic Diseases Act 1897”, said the CM.

The Centre had recently waived off the requirement of home quarantine for domestic travellers and replaced the same with self-monitoring. The Punjab government has made it clear that quarantine restrictions will continue to remain in place in Punjab on account of rising numbers.

Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal President Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal has announced to postpone all the political programs of the party for next 15 days keeping in view the emerging Coronavirus situation.