Nearly 4,000 tourist vehicles restricted from entering Mussoorie, Nainital

As many as 4,000 vehicles that were on their way to Mussoorie and Nainital were sent back by Uttarakhand Police last weekend.

This comes as the state government announced strict COVID-19 protocols to prevent the tourist destinations from being overcrowded amid the pandemic.

Uttarakhand Police has set up additional checkpoints and barricades on the roads that lead to famous tourist spots in the state.

"A clear message has been given to the tourists that if they are coming to Uttarakhand, RT-PCR test, registration, and a prior hotel booking are mandatory for everyone," Uttarakhand Police Headquarters Spokesperson DIG Nilesh Anand Bharane told ANI.

The DIG appealed to the tourists coming to Uttarakhand not to just visit Mussoorie and Nainital. He said there are more tourist places in the state and the tourists should explore different places in the state to avoid unnecessary crowding at one place.

He added that tourists without registration, RT-PCR test and hotel booking will not be allowed to enter the state.

At present, the state has 1,094 active COVID-19 cases, as per the Union Health Ministry.