KATHMANDU, March 13: Although India on Wednesday imposed restrictions on entry into India by suspending all visas except diplomatic, the new measures will not affect any Nepalis travelling to India by air or by existing land routes, the Embassy of India in Kathmandu said.

Issuing a press statement on Thursday, the embassy said the current measures are solely for the purposes of managing public health and safety. “These measures do not currently have any impact on normal travel of Nepali nationals to India, either by air or by existing land routes. Existing travel arrangements for Nepali nationals will, in other words, remain unaffected,” said the statement.

The Embassy, however, said that there will be intensified health inspections at all entry points and any traveler, Indian, Nepali or from third countries presenting COVID-19 symptoms or with recent travel history to one of the seven COVID-19 outbreak countries may possibly be subjected to quarantine if so required.

India has decided to conduct the universal screening of passengers arriving on flights from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. India on Wednesday announced suspension of all visas for a month in order to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Likewise, it also announced that visa-free travel afforded to overseas citizens of the country was also suspended until April 15.

The embassy clarified that certain health safety measures are being implemented for foreign and Indian nationals entering into and exiting from India keeping in view the ramifications of current global spread of COVID-19 on public health and safety. “The primary intention is to ensure the health and safety of both Indian as well as foreign nationals with bare minimum inconvenience to travel and mobility. 

 
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