Kerala stops daily e-passes for commuters to Kasaragod, Mangaluru

Mangaluru, July 07: The Kerala government has stopped issuing daily e-passes for those commuting between neighbouring Kasaragod district and Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada District in Karnataka from Tuesday in the wake of rise in the number of COVID-19 cases on both sides of the border.

The decision was taken at a district-level review meeting on Monday, attended by Kerala Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan, after the sudden surge of coronavirus cases in Dakshina Kannada district in the last two days.

Chandrasekharan, in charge of Covid management in the district, said those from Mangaluru working in Kasaragod should stay there for a period of 28 days in a month and vice versa.

Daily commuting cannot be permitted as the number of COVID-19 cases were on the rise. Doctors and health workers were also bound by the new regulation, he told reporters.

Kerala has already set up barricades at different points connecting Kasaragod and Dakshina Kannada involving local panchayats on the border. Dakshina Kannada reported 147 COVID-19 cases on Sunday and 34 on Monday.

Nearly 90 new cases were reported from Ullal area bordering Manjeshwar in Kerala till Sunday which apparently prompted the Kasaragod district administration to arrive at the quick decision.