Chaos in Himachal's Kangra after govt advances lifting of Covid restrictions

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, June 23

Confusion prevailed in Kangra district today over the relaxation in restrictions allowed by the state government. The Cabinet at its meeting yesterday decided that from July 1 all shops would be allowed to open up to 8 pm, and the restrictions on the state borders and the condition of e-pass for entry to the state would be done away with.

However, in a late night development, the government decided to offer these concessions with immediate effect. This morning, local shopkeepers reached out to the district authorities for a clarification on the relaxation in timing. The situation became clear in the afternoon when the Kangra District Magistrate issued the order stating that all shops could remain open up to 8 pm from today itself. Later he issued another order stating that all restaurants and dhabas could open at weekends and the local authorities would decide the weekly closure day.

Deepak Kumar, who runs a fast food joint, said that he asked government officers in Dharamsala about the timings for shops but none of them had the right answer. However, it was in late afternoon that we were informed that all shops could open up to 8 pm, he added.

Tourists and other travellers were allowed a hassle-free entry to Kangra and Una districts since the morning and police officials lifted barricades from the interstate borders.

Meanwhile, the hotel and tourism industry of Kangra has welcomed the government decision to allow tourists entry to the state without any conditions. Ravi Sharma, general manager of a local hotel, said, “The summer tourist season has mostly been wasted due to the second wave of the pandemic and curfew restrictions. It is good that the government has lifted all restrictions imposed on the entry of tourists. It will encourage tourists, at least from adjoining states, to visit Himachal. We hope that the latest relaxation in restrictions will encourage tourists to come to the Kangra region before the onset of the monsoons.

Una Deputy Commissioner Raghav Sharma said that all restrictions, including the e-pass condition, were removed this morning, as per the government orders.