More than a month after it completely sealed its borders with neighbouring states and countries, Mizoram will open its inter-state border with Tripura for vehicles transporting goods, an official said on Sunday.

Mizoram has completely sealed its borders with neighbouring countries and states except for Assam at Vairengte and Bairabi a few days before the nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25 to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

The new guidelines issued by the state government on Saturday said the state border with Tripura would be opened at Kanhmun in addition to entry points for Assam at Vairengte and Bairabi for vehicles carrying both essential and non-essential commodities, Mamit district deputy commissioner Lalrozama told The Telegraph.

He said the district administration is making efforts to deploy a medical team and install a disinfectant chamber.

“We will hold a meeting over the matter on Monday. Movement of traffic will be allowed after deployment of a medical team and installation of disinfectant facilities, which will take at least two days to complete,” he said.

Mizoram shares a 284km inter-state border with Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura. It also shares a porous international border of 722km with Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The meeting of council of ministers on Saturday extended the lockdown till May 17 as decided by the Centre despite a proposal from state doctors to extend for a month beyond May 4.

The new guidelines issued by the state chief secretary in accordance with the Centre’s guidelines on Saturday evening said all other entry points barring the exempted three, will remained closed.

Passenger carrying vehicles are allowed to cross the border with permission from the state home department.

The government also allowed inter-village movement of commercial vehicles and public transport within the city and towns with 50 per cent passenger capacity. They will ply on alternate days based on an odd-even registration number.

So far, Mizoram has reported only one case with a 50-year-old man, who tested positive on March 24.

He is undergoing treatment at Zoram Medical College (ZMC), near Aizawl and is out of danger, according to health officials.

His four samples were sent to Silchar and results are awaited, they said.