PALAKKAD: The situation at the Walayar check post on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border was near normal on Tuesday, the second day of the restrictions imposed by the TN government on people coming from Kerala. The neighbouring state has insisted that Keralites crossing the border either possess an RT-PCR negative certificate not older than 72 hours or a certificate that proves they are fully vaccinated.
The Coimbatore district administration and TN police set up a barricade just beyond the Walayar border where passengers coming on two and four wheelers were stopped and asked to produce the required papers, in addition to the epass issued by the TN government.
Arrangements were also made for passengers to undergo RT-PCR tests at the border. Upon reaching their destinations in Tamil Nadu, they have to stay in quarantine until the results arrive the next day. Crew of goods lorries passing through the check-post were subjected to thermal scanning only.
The same was followed at all other Kerala-TN checkposts – Mulli, Gopalapuram, Meenakshipuram, Aanakatti, Ozhalapathy, Nadupunni, Velanthavalam and Govindapuram among others. At Govindapuram , those who arrived on buses and those who crossed the bridge to enter TN were also asked to produce the required papers. Those who did not have the same were sent back, said the residents.
On Monday, the first day of the restrictions, the KG Chavadi police in TN had allowed all passengers to enter Tamil Nadu after a warning.
Students, labourers asked to comply
With Plus Two results announced, students travelling from Kerala to Tamil Nadu to enrol in engineering and arts colleges will have to show the vaccination certificate or negative test results. The same goes for the large number of woman labourers who travel to Tamil Nadu from the border villages of Palakkad to work in fields, small-scale units and other institutions.