Maharashtra issues new guidelines for flight passengers amid Omicron variant scare; rules inside

New Delhi: Maharashtra governmet has revised its air travel rules on Thursday, making seven-day institutional quarantine mandatory for travellers coming from three countries. The state government in an announcement stated that the rules issued by the central government are mandatory for national and international travellers.

Here are some important takeaways:

• A seven-day institutional quarantine is compulsory for travellers coming from three countries namely South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Reportedly these three countries are included in the list of high-risk counties over the Omicron. The passengers coming from these countries or passengers who have visited these countries before coming to Maharashtra are at higher risk.

Below are the restrictions that will be applied to only “High-Risk Air Passengers” along with the guidelines issued by GOI:

• “High-Risk Air Passengers” can be deplaned on priority and separate counters will be arranged by respective airport authorities at all international airports under Maharashtra for screening and verification. All the concerned passengers have to undergo an RT-PCR test immediately after arriving at the respective international airport and have to stay at seven-day institutional quarantine. At the end of the seventh day, another RT-PCR test will be carried out.
• Any the RT-PCR test of any of the passengers is found positive, immediately the patient will be shifted to the hospital with Covid Treatment Facilities. However, if the test is found negative after seven-day institutional quarantine, another seven-day home quarantine has to be followed.
• DCP immigration and Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) will draft a proforma of declaration for all international passengers arriving in Maharashtra to provide details of the countries they have visited in the last 15 days. Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) will share the proforma will all the airlines. Besides, the information regarding the last 15 days of travel by passengers will be cross-checked by immigration on arrival.
• For the domestic travellers, the passengers have to be fully vaccinated or carry negative RT-PCR report tested within 72 hours before boarding.