Puri: Producing a COVID-19 negative report for staying in hotels in Odisha's Puri town is not mandatory. Tourists are only required to produce their reservation ticket of the hotel, an official order of the District Collector said.

"It is hereby clarified that any person coming from another district/states to stay in hotels located in Puri Municipal area is required to produce the reservation ticket of the hotel at NAKA points instead of COVID-19 negative report," the order said.

All Tehsildars-cum-Incident Commanders along with the lICs of the respective police stations shall have to ensure strict implementation of the order without any deviation, the order added.

The move of the district administration came following reports of some police personnel stopping tourists from entering the town if they didn't furnish COVID-19 negative report.