From Delhi to Maharashtra, we take a look at the travel rules imposed by the various state governments in view of the Covid-19 threat.
As Omicron cases keep surging across the country, states have come up with various restrictions, including travel curbs, to control the spread of the new Covid-19 strain.
The total number of Omicron cases in India rose to 578 on Monday as the country witnessed its highest spike. The 578 cases have been detected across 19 states and UTs with Delhi recording the maximum number of 142 cases followed by Maharashtra at 141, Kerala 57, Gujarat 49, Rajasthan 43 and Telangana 41.
From Delhi to Maharashtra, we take a look at the travel rules imposed by the various state governments in view of the Covid-19 threat.
Delhi
Amid the Omicron scare, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, on Friday, had issued guidelines for people flying to Delhi.
According to the guideline, random sample collection will be done for passengers arriving from states where there has been a spurt in number for Covid-19 cases. Passengers will be allowed to exit only after their samples have been collected. Thermal screening will also be done for all passengers upon arrival. If someone is travelling on a connecting flight and not leaving the airport in transit station, the guidelines of the final destination would be applicable for them.
Passengers who are found positive will be quarantined at home or Covid care centres for 10 days. International travellers should submit a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel. They also need to upload a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR report. The test should have been conducted within 72 hours before undertaking the journey.
Passengers originating or transiting from at-risk countries will be informed by the airlines that they will undergo post-arrival testing, quarantine if tested negative and stringent isolation. The passengers will submit samples post-arrival which. If tested negative, they will undergo mandatory 7-day quarantine and be re-tested on the 8th day. If they test negative again, then they will self-monitor for another 7 days.
International passengers coming from non-at-risk countries will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days.
Maharashtra
High-risk international flyers shall have to undergo RT-PCR tests on arrival at the respective international airports and shall undergo mandatory 7-day “institutional quarantine” with a second test to be carried out on the seventh day. If any of the tests are found to be positive, he/she shall be shifted to a hospital with Covid-19 treatment facilities. If the test result is negative, the passenger will have to undergo home quarantine for 7 more days.
In the case of domestic air travellers, passengers will either have to be fully vaccinated or carry an RT-PCR negative certificate which should be not more than 72 hours old.
Mumbai
The Mumbai civic body on Friday made seven days’ home quarantine mandatory for passengers arriving from Dubai. According to the guidelines, all arriving passengers from Dubai, who are Mumbai residents, will compulsorily undergo seven days of home quarantine.
There will be no need for an RT-PCR test on arrival if they are fully vaccinated. The civic body said the ward war room will contact the passengers in home quarantine for seven days, and an RT-PCR test will be done on the seventh day. If the test is negative, the traveller needs to self-monitor for seven more days. “If the test is positive, they will be shifted to institutional quarantine as per the current guidelines for the international traveller,” BMC said.
For travellers residing in cities other than Mumbai, the collector will arrange transportation for such passengers. Travellers will not be allowed to take public transport.
West Bengal
Travellers from other states must carry negative RT-PCR reports, the tests for which have been conducted not more than 72 hours before their travel. Those arriving in the state from Omicron-hit nations have to spend seven days in isolation.
Directions have also been given to set up a special ward at the government-run Beleghata ID Hospital, especially for patients who test positive for Omicron.
Karnataka
International flyers arriving in the state will have to mandatorily undergo RT-PCR tests and remain in home quarantine for seven days. If tested positive, the sample will be sent for genomic sequencing and they will be admitted to a separate isolation facility. They will be discharged at the discretion of the treating physician if the genomic sequencing is negative for the Omicron variant.
For travellers coming from countries excluding those enlisted as the “at-risk” ones, a random sample of 5 per cent of travellers with negative results will undergo RT-PCR testing on arrival.
Jammu and Kashmir
Foreigners flying to Kashmir will have to undergo RT-PCR tests at the airport. Those testing positive would be shifted to a quarantine facility and their contacts will be traced and tested.
People from ‘at-risk’ nations who test negative will, however, have to be in home quarantine for seven days. They would be tested again on Day 8, and if negative, will be advised to self-monitor for at least two weeks.
Travellers from other countries would also be asked to monitor themselves carefully for at least two weeks.
