Karnataka clarifies it requested fewer flights from 5 states, no complete ban

The government clarified that it never said there should be a complete ban on the incoming flights from these five states as reported earlier.

"Karnataka has appealed to the Civil Aviation Ministry to take steps to lessen the air traffic to the State, with the sacred intention that there may not be adequate quarantine facilities, if there is huge turnout at a short span of time," Karnataka minister JC Madhu Swami said.

The minister stated that restrictions have also been imposed for people coming by road from the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat to ensure that adequate quarantine facilities can be provided.

The decision was taken as Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have reported the highest number of the contagious infections in India.

Karnataka so far reported 2,418 cases of coronavirus including 47 deaths. About 781 patients were cured, as per the Union Health Ministry said.

Over the last 24 hours, 118 of the 135 new cases reported in the state were from people who had travelled into the state.

"We have to test them twice. It is consuming a lot of time and we are short of accommodation. So we are restricting movement until these people move out of quarantine," the minister added.

On May 18, Karnataka had banned the entry of people from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The ban was stopped after the flights' services resumed.

The Centre since Monday allowed domestic flights, without considering the objections of states that wanted stricter coronavirus protocol.