Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma asserts Covid era to be over, welcomes tourists from across the world

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that the Covid-19 era in the state is over and has urged tourists from all over the world to visit Assam.

Taking to his micro-blogging site Twitter, Assam CM wrote, "On Oct 5, with 132 aircraft movements & 17591 passengers at LGBI Airport Guwahati, the numbers crossed pre-Covid numbers. We are back to normal and ready to steer Assam’s economy to new levels. Also eagerly look forward to welcoming tourists here, who come from across the world."

Earlier in February 2022, the Assam health department notified that mandatory testing on arrival at airports, railway stations, road border points and hospitals was to be discontinued. 

However, the health department only urged that symptomatic patients get tested voluntarily.

This comes after the number of daily positive cases at railway stations, as well as, at the airport in Guwahati has been less than 10 for quite some time. 

As the state government has decided to bring back normalcy by easing all curbs, relaxations in testing have come as a major relief for commuters and patients.

On the other hand, the Assam Forest department formally opened the Kaziranga National Park to tourists after the monsoon closure.

It is to be mentioned here that in an event held at the Kaziranga, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Jaggi Vasudeva of Isha Foundation and State Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah went on a safari to reopen the park that had been closed since May due to the monsoon season.

Along with the reopening, two statues of the one-horned rhinoceros were also unveiled in the Mihimukh area of the Kaziranga National Park. What is unique about them is the fact that they have been made from the ashes of the horns of the one-horned rhino.