New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that movement of inland vessels is allowed on the India Bangladesh Protocol route amid the current lockdown situation.

In an office memorandum, the Disaster Management Division of the MHA on Sunday said: "Operation of cross land border transportation of essential goods as well as export is already allowed."

The order said that as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has given its 'in principal' approval on the standard operating procedure (SOP), the Ministry of Shipping may issue the SOP at their end.

The government had earlier allowed operation of land ports for cross border transportation of essential items.

In its April 15 revised guidelines, the Home Ministry had said that "operations for land ports for cross land border transportation of essential goods including petroleum products and LPG, food products, medical supplies" would be allowed.

--IANS rrb/rt