Auli ropeway shuts down after 30 staffers test COVID-19 positive

A famous tourist attraction, the Auli ropeway in Uttarakhand has shut down to the public after 30 personnel tested positive for COVID-19. The 4.5 km long ropeway transports people from Joshimath to Auli. The picturesque hamlet in Uttrakhand, Auli, is a popular ski destination in India and is visited by thousands of tourists from across the country.

Now that the ropeway has been closed, tourists will have to travel 16 km to reach Auli from Joshimath. Chamoli Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr SP Kuriyal informed that 45 samples were sent to them among which 30 people, including ropeway staff, porters and taxi drivers, tested positive for COVID-19.
Health authorities in the region said that they are sure that the infection has spread among locals from tourists coming from various parts of the country. Given the current situation, the Auli administration has announced that they will check every tourist for COVID.

Set at an elevation of 3000 m above sea level, Auli in Chamoli district is a snow wonderland. Till now, the district has recorded 25 new cases recently. Now the administration is asking and also helping tourists in leaving the hill town.
Recently, around 58 roads were blocked in the district due to heavy snowfall.