Nepal bans transit journey for global air travellers

The Indian Embassy in Nepal has advised Indians to avoid traveling to Nepal for onward journeys. Kathmandu has banned all foreign nationals from using the Himalayan nation as a transit point as part of its effort to combat the surge in coronavirus cases.

New Delhi:The Indian embassy in Nepal has advised passengers from India to avoid travelling to Nepal for onward journeys to other countries.

Kathmandu has banned all foreign nationals from using the Himalayan nation as a transit point as part of its effort to combat the surge in coronavirus cases.

The travel advisory comes at a time when India is battling the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Given this, many countries including the UK, Canada, UAE have suspended flights to India. Many countries have imposed restrictions for travellers from India. Therefore, this is perhaps a reason for travellers taking flights to Kathmandu for connecting flights to different countries.

An important advisory issued by the Indian embassy in Nepal on Tuesday said, "As per the Notification of 26 April 2021 of the Department of Immigration of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Nepal, “the arrival of foreigners intending to travel to third countries via Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and using TIA as transit airport will be restricted from 28 April 2021 midnight till the next notice.”

However, the advisory stated that the ongoing services provided to travellers arriving in Nepal as a final destination and departing from Nepal will be continued as usual.

"Indian nationals are advised accordingly to avoid travel to Nepal for onward journeys to third countries because of restrictions after 28th April," it added. The embassy is in contact with Nepalese authorities to facilitate the travel of bona fide Indian nationals already in Nepal, the Indian embassy in Nepal said in a statement.

As the situation in India is grim and there has been a massive surge in Covid cases, more than 20 countries have either ban passenger flights from India or imposed strict entry protocols for travellers from here. Many countries are not allowing entry to travellers who have in India for the last 14 days.

Earlier today, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrisson announced that Australia will suspend all direct passenger flights from India until May 15.

So far, restrictions on travel from India have been imposed by countries like Canada, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Iran, UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bangladesh, Maldives, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.