Finally, the travellers longing to breathe the fresh Himalayan air and rejuvenate their soul with a cup of Darjeeling tea while watching the sun rise at Tiger Hill have something to celebrate for. As per the latest notice from the Government of West Bengal, the hotels, home stays and restaurants in Darjeeling and Kalimpong are now officially open.
Under the strict guidance of safety and social distancing the hotels and restaurants can resume their services, except in zones declared as containment.
A six months closure due to the corona virus pandemic have affected severely the overall economy of the region where more than 15 percent of the population is dependent on tourism and tourism related activities for livelihood
Besides the regular safely norms like masks, gloves and ensuring the sanitization of the rooms and common places there are the following instructions laid down by the authority to be strictly followed by the travelers and the hosts:
- Bagdogra – the nearest airport to Darjeeling, advises asymptomatic persons to monitor themselves.
- Health Authorities will decide the quarantine requirement for symptomatic passengers on a case-by-case basis.
- All passengers must download the Aarogya Setu App.
- All passengers have to fill up and submit the declaration form using the Sandhane App developed by the Health and Family Welfare Department of West Bengal.
The neighboring state Sikkim, another major tourist destination in North East is, also expected to open its borders for the tourists from October.
