Fresh guidelines for passengers from ‘at-risk’ countries

🔴 Around 600 samples can be collected per hour, airport officials said. If the volumes increase, the facility for testing and seating arrangements can be increased.

• By: Express News Service
• New Delhi | Updated: December 1, 2021 10:18 AM IST
2 min read

Passengers who arrive at the airport from the countries at risk will have to pay Rs 1,700 for the test, food and water while they stay at the airport and wait for the report.

With passengers from ‘at risk’ countries now having to stay back at airports to wait for their RT PCR reports, the Indira Gandhi International Airport has made seating arrangements for 1,200 to 1,400 people as they wait.

Around 600 samples can be collected per hour, airport officials said. If the volumes increase, the facility for testing and seating arrangements can be increased. A change in guidelines followed the detection of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus in several countries, including South Africa, Botswana, the UK, and several countries of the European Union.

Passengers who arrive at the airport from the countries at risk will have to pay Rs 1,700 for the test, food and water while they stay at the airport and wait for the report. The wait is expected to be 4-6 hours long.

Under the guidelines, all passengers coming from ‘at-risk’ countries have to compulsorily undergo RT-PCR tests and five per cent of passengers arriving from other countries would also have to take the test on a random basis. The passengers will have to wait for the results before leaving the airport or taking a connecting flight.

According to officials, between Monday night and Tuesday night, around 50 international flights carrying 10,000 passengers landed in Delhi.

On Monday, a spokesperson from DIAL, which operates the Delhi Airport, said, “The Government of India has issued a fresh travel advisory following a rise in cases by the new strain in some parts of the world. We are aware of the requirements of the new advisory and would be ready with all arrangements on time keeping in mind the fresh guidelines and passenger convenience. We have made similar arrangements earlier during previous waves of the pandemic. We will ensure adherence to Covid-19 protocol during the stay of passengers inside the terminal.”

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