The government of Madhya Pradesh has given its permission for the opening up of water tourism activities with a reduced capacity of 50 per cent along with all COVID-19 prevention rules and regulations in place.
In one of his latest announcements, the principal secretary of MP tourism department Shivshekhar Shukla revealed that all the cruises and boats used for water sports and tourism across the state will now resume operations with 50 per cent capacity. He also assured that all the COVID-19 guidelines issued by the government will be followed strictly in the course of the water sports operations. Further, he stated that the entire staff of the boats will require undergoing proper medical check-ups at regular intervals. The boat operators will also require submitting self-declaration agreements, to ensure that in case they are found positive with the virus, they will inform the management and the local administration immediately. They have also been directed to record the names, addresses, contact details, Aadhaar card number, and body temperature of the travellers participating in the water tourism activities. Furthermore, the boat operators will take the responsibility of sanitizing the boats as well as the other safety gears each time after they are used.
Mr Shukla said in his announcement that tourist entry into the boat clubs will be permitted through digital tickets and entry will be denied for visitors who are without masks. Furthermore, the visitors will need to abide by the social distancing guidelines in order to prevent the transmission of the virus.
The resumption of water activities in Madhya Pradesh is expected to attract a huge number of tourists and give an instant boost to the business of the travel agents and tour operators that has long suffered a standstill due to the pandemic. Furthermore, this will also add to the much-needed fun and thrill the travel enthusiasts are seeking in their post-COVID holidays.