Flights, long-haul transport not to resume until September 1

The government has postponed the resumption of flights, and long-haul transportation for a month.

“A cabinet meeting today has decided to put off August 17 resumption of all flights till the September 1,” according to a minister. “The cabinet meeting has decided that domestic and international flights, long-haul transportation service, and other services that were earlier scheduled to resume on August 17 will remain suspended till September 1,” he confirmed, adding that the Crisis Management Centre (CMC) had recommended the government to postpone resumption of their operations by a fortnight, but the government decided it to postpone them by a month. “The decision has been taken in view of the steady rise in number of Covid-19 cases after the easing of the lockdown.”

The cabinet meeting – held at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar – has also decided to tighten the movement across the border crossing points due to the rise in number of infections across the border. “The government has fixed 10 border points for crossing from existing 20 to check the unwanted inflow,” he added.

The CCMC meeting on Sunday had decided to recommend to the government not to immediately resume aviation services and long-distance public transport as announced earlier to resume these services from August 17.

The government had partially lifted the lockdown 120 days after it was first imposed on March 24 to contain the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19). While lifting the lockdown – on July 20 – the government had announced to resume long-distance public transportation services, domestic and international flights, training sessions and preliminary stages of international games, student admission, academic and other examinations from August 17. The government had lifted the four-month long lockdown from July 21.

On March 20, the government had banned all passengers – including Nepalis, from entering the country from the European Union territories, including the United Kingdom, West Asia, Gulf countries and countries like Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan – four days ago, imposing a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The cabinet meeting also decided to allow factories and business enterprises to resume their operation only after they fulfill health guidelines and develop separate quarantine facilities for their workers,” he informed.

With 338 new cases of coronavirus recorded in the past 24 hours across the country, Nepal's Covid-19 tally has risen to 23,310 today. A total of 79 individuals have succumbed to this disease so far.

The recent days have witnessed rising number of Covid-19 cases in the Kathmandu Valley. And the government has re-imposed the odd-even rule for both public and private vehicles except those belonging to essential services from Thursday.

Likewise, the Home Ministry has restricted the movement of people between 9 pm and 5 am in the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley to contain the possible spread of Covid-19. All passenger vehicles are also banned from entering the Kathmandu Valley from 7 pm to 7 am.