Assam has opened its borders with the other north-eastern states (excluding Sikkim) from Sunday, May 3, largely to facilitate the return of people who are stranded in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. However, it is for inward journey only.

On Saturday, Assam&rsquos Health Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, tweeted the news and said that no pass is required for people travelling from these states. But he also mentioned that all returnees will be screened at inter-state borders for COVID-19 symptoms.

According to media reports, the minister also said that the borders will open only for inward journey. However, returnees may travel in their own cars and no passes will be required. But the journey has to be completed by 6pm as the borders will remain closed between 6pm to 6am. The returnees will be checked at the interstate borders by a medical team. 

Meanwhile, Assam has been removed from the red zone category, with the Union Health Ministry giving a clean chit to the five red zone districts of Golaghat, Dhubri, Goalpara, Morigaon and Nalbari. But Dhubri, Goalpara and Morigaon have been classified as orange zones. Therefore 30 out of the 33 districts are now in the green zone.

However, people from Assam stranded in Sikkim will not be permitted to return as they will have to travel through West Bengal, the media quoted Sarma as saying.