From Wednesday, all passengers travelling to Maharashtra from the NCR of Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa – the four states with high numbers of Covid-19 infection in recent days – will have to compulsorily provide RT_PCR tests before boarding flights and trains.    

Fearing a surge in Covid-19 cases and amidst rumors of a lockdown the state government has ordered compulsory testing of Covid-19 for all passengers travelling to Maharashtra from the four states currently hit with a large number of infections. The sample collection should have been done within 72 hours of scheduled time of landing at airports in Maharashtra.

As per the government order, all domestic air passengers travelling from the NCR of Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa will now have to carry a negative RT_PCR test report with them before boarding flight.

The RT_PCR negative test report will have to be shown to the concerned officials of the Airport Authorities of India, upon which they will be allowed to board the flight.

Passengers not carrying RT_PCT test reports with the required conditions will compulsorily have to undergo RT_PCR tests at the concerned airports at their own costs, at the centres arranged by the airport for which the passengers will be directly charged by the airport.

Air travelers undertaking tests at the airport will have to give their contact details and address to the airport operator for contact tracing. In case they test positive, such persons will be contacted and treated as per existing protocol.

The concerned municipal commissioners have been designated as the nodal officers and will need to ensure that instructions are fully followed.

Similarly, passengers travelling to Maharashtra by trains originating or having halts/stops at stations in Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa will also have to carry RT_PCR negative tests reports for entering the Maharashtra. For train travelers, RT_PCR sample collection should have been done within 96 hours before the scheduled arrival in Maharashtra.

Train passengers not having RT_PCR test negative report will be screened for symptoms and body temperature at the alighting railway station. Only passengers without symptoms and those who test negative for RT_PCR will be allowed to go home. Train passengers who display symptoms will be segregated and made to go for antigen tests and they will be allowed to go only if the antigen test is negative.    

Train passengers who refuse to test or are found Covid positive will be sent to a Covid Care Centre (CCC) for further care the cost of which will have to be borne by the passenger. The concerned municipal commissioners and or district collectors are the nodal officers to ensure that guidelines/ instructions are fully followed.

For road travelers it will be mandatory to provide antigen test reports. As per state guidelines, the district collectors of land border districts will make arrangements for passengers’ coming from above states who will be tested for symptoms including body temperature. Those without symptoms will be allowed entry and others will be told to return home and recuperate or segregated and made to undergo antigen tests. Only if antigen test is negative, passengers will be allowed into Maharashtra.

Those who have not tested and found Covid positive, will be sent to a CCC for further care the cost of which will be borne by  the passenger.