Amidst the coronavirus outbreak and the incessant rainfall, the Police have warned against tourists visiting Lonavala on August 15. They have further warned of taking strict legal action against anyone who comes to visit the hill station without the permission of the Police.
Since August 5, following relaxations in the lockdown guidelines and government permissions, many hotels in the hill town have resumed operations. Most of the 57,000 residents of Lonavala are almost entirely dependent on tourism for a livelihood.
However, with an e-pass mandatory for entering Lonavala, with the tourist spots in the area still shut, these hotels are yet to see any occupancy. In other years, tourists would flock to Lonavala during the monsoon, but this year, despite the relaxations in lockdown, there are plenty of other obstacles to visiting the place.
It has been raining heavily in Maharashtra for the last two weeks. As a result, rivers, streams and dams in the area have started overflowing. Earlier, some tourists had entered the Bhushi Dam area violating the rules. Lonavala Police had registered cases against more than 300 such tourists. The Maval court has also imposed a fine of ₹3.5 lakh on the tourists for defying the rules.
Moreover, the Police have set up check posts at Khandala, Khalapur Toll Naka, Nausena Bagh and Ryewood Chowki to check the flow of tourists.
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