Visakhapatnam: Despite a long weekend, not many prefer to travel

Visakhapatnam: Watching a cockfight, playing cards with friends, getting engrossed in a movie, flying a kite and savouring traditional delicacies dished out at home are synonymous with Sankranti festivities at one's hometown.

Without these, the celebrations would be incomplete. To witness the festive revelry that unfurls in myriad hues, people settled in different places of the Telugu-speaking states head to their native villages without giving a skip.

But, some are going to miss the trip to their hometown this year as the dreaded coronavirus, in its new variant – Omicron – spreading like a wildfire.

With the daily Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours crossing 250 in Visakhapatnam alone, people have second thoughts in going ahead with their travel plans.

Even those who consider following Covid safety protocols while travelling are not quite confident to continue with their itinerary as mask usage has seen a drastic decline in recent months. "I planned for a trip to Bengaluru three months back and booked tickets in advance. But, decided to cancel them as I don't want to travel at this juncture, especially when the daily cases are rising in almost every state," reasons G Ravi Kumar, who works in a private firm.

Despite the rise in daily caseload, complacency has crept in among various sections of people. At tourist spots, non-compliance to safety protocols appears to be apparent. When District Collector A Mallikarjuna paid a visit to the Beach Road, he was shocked to see tourists without a mask. The Collector laid emphasis on following Covid appropriate behaviour and the role of stakeholders in controlling the spread of the virus.

Given the current scenario, a section of people prefers to put off their travel plans as they consider it unsafe at the moment.