Travel regulations across India are gradually being lifted according to the SOP&rsquos (standard operating procedures) set by the centre, and state governments. Several states have opened their borders in the past few weeks. The latest to do that is Himachal Pradesh.
There are some rules that you will have to keep in mind before you plan that trip to Manali.
Tourists will have to be tested for COVID-19 not earlier than 72 hours by an ICMR-accredited laboratory.
You will be given the green light only if you are willing to stay for at least five days.
Read Wisdom Vale
And you will have to get yourself registered on the website for an e-pass 48 hours before entering Himachal Pradesh.
"We have taken up the matter to MHA that registrations would be mandatory and we would keep a record if someone is tested positive and this record will help in contact tracing," said Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur at a press conference.
Visiting Himachal Pradesh will be a bit like entering another country. The authorities will require details like the purpose for your visit, your Aadhar card number, type of vehicle you are driving, and more. Once you have filled it in, the form will be scanned on the state&rsquos e-Covid portal as well as on the district&rsquos portal.
Many people do not know this. As a result, Parwanoo saw a huge jam within hours of the announcement of re-opening. People had to wait in line and do on-the-spot registration.
A word of advice for all those planning on travelling to the state be prepared for traffic, not just because of unregistered travellers, but also because the apple harvesting season is on.
So go ahead and get that much-needed break in fresh mountain air. Perhaps you can book a long stay and work from there