The Andaman & Nicobar administration has shut all travel and tourism related activities in the union territory starting Monday till March 26.
In an advisory issued on the COVID-19 outbreak, the health secretary of the Andaman & Nicobar administration wrote: “In order to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands all tourists are advised to refrain from travelling to the islands from midnight March 16 to March 26.”
It has also decided to regulate the passenger occupancy in the vessels of Directorate of Shipping Services and private operators, with effect from March 16 to 26.
According to a statement, all the vessels of the Directorate of Shipping Services and private operators, operating in the Mainland Island, Inter Island, Foreshore and Harbour ferry sector, shall carry only Islander passengers up to 50 percent of their carrying capacity.
“No tourists shall be allowed to travel by private/Government ferries. These measure have been initiated to avoid crowding in the vessels and to facilitate the passengers to maintain a safe distance with co passengers, so that the potential risk of spreading infection of coronavirus,” it said.
In another statement, the Andaman & Nicobar administration has changed the office timings of departments in the island to avoid congestion in public transport.