Earlier this week, Maharashtra’s Government had implemented a new requirement, asking for people flying in from Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa to carry an RT-PCR negative test report (sample taken within 72 hours of scheduled arrival at Maharashtra airport). This caused a lot of confusion since the rules were not clearly drafted, and posted at very short notice (the notification came 30 hours out for a rule which needed 72 hours notice, at least) and hence there was no clarity in the interpretation. For instance, there was no news about if people travelling from another point in North India via Delhi to Mumbai on a flight would need to do this certification or not.
Now, there seems to be some clarity setting in, as airports, clueless before, make their interpretations, which may or may not be correct, but are going to be the norm for now. I’m writing this article based on what I hear from Mumbai Airport. Here is the official statement sent to me by CSMIA Mumbai last evening:
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has created a dedicated zone for domestic passengers arriving from Delhi, Goa, Gujarat and Rajasthan who are required to undergo the RT-PCR test upon arrival at the airport. Passengers will be directed to the test zone located near the baggage carousel to undertake the test before exiting the airport.
In keeping with the latest edict from the State of Maharashtra, passengers arriving at CSMIA from Delhi, Goa, Gujarat and Rajasthan are required to provide proof of a negative RT-PCR test prior to boarding their flight or undertake the test upon arrival at Mumbai. Since the implementation of the new directive on 25th November 2020, CSMIA has tested over 200 passengers who have arrived from these earmarked regions, of which none have tested positive for COVID-19.
If you can’t get tested outside Mumbai per the norms, you will be asked to get tested once at Mumbai Airport, before being let go. The cost of the test is INR 1,400.
There was considerable confusion on the rules for transit passengers. Here is some clarity from Mumbai Airport again.
- Travelling from one of the airports above, such as Delhi Airport as a transit passenger: Let’s say you are travelling Lucknow-Delhi-Mumbai or Kullu-Delhi-Pune or some such routing where you used Delhi Airport only as a transit point, and not exiting the airport. In this case, you would not need to be carrying a test report. However, you will need to share both your boarding passes for verification to be able to exit the airport.
Good evening! If you are transiting via Delhi airport and not exiting the airport then you can travel without a report. Also note: You will have to present both the boarding passes on arrivals for verification. We Care, Team CSMIA.
— CSMIA (@CSMIA_Official) November 26, 2020
- Travelling via Mumbai Airport as a transit passenger: Let’s say you are travelling Lucknow-Mumbai-Goa some such routing where you used Mumbai Airport only as a transit point, and not exiting the airport. In this case, you would not need to be carrying a test report.
Good Evening! If you are transiting via Mumbai airport and not exiting the airport then you can travel without a report. We recommend you to pls check the guidelines of the state authorities issued of your final destination. We Care, Team CSMIA.
— CSMIA (@CSMIA_Official) November 26, 2020
Bottomline
If you are travelling to Mumbai via a hub airport such as Delhi, you are not going to need a test report as long as you do not exit the airport. Similarly, if you are using the Mumbai airport to transit to another city, you won’t need a test report as well, as long as you are not exiting the city.
Have you travelled through Mumbai Airport recently and needed to share a CoVid-19 test report?
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i will be arriving om 30 jul from DMM via DOH-MUM and traveling by domestic flight 6 hrs. later MUM-IXE, will the negative RT-PCR test of Saudi be valid as it issued 72 hrs, before or I have to again take RT-PCR test at Mumbai
If I am travelling by road from Dadra Nagar Haveli to Mumbai airport to catch flight to Bangalore whether I need to covid test report
I am traveling from toronto to mumbai via delhi and i am getting my test done here 72 hrs before i board here, by the time i reach mumbai it will be more than 72 hrs do i need to test again in mumbai? Please help. Note: i am not exciting delhi airport.
@Siddharth, as long as you are not leaving the DEL airport, and you already have the exemption sanctioned to not have to do institutional quarantine, you won’t need a separate test.
Thanks Ajay. I was so confused as i heard rumors that one still needs to get test done at the airport as he /she is coming from delhi.
Hii Ajay.
I am traveling from Doha to Delhi transiting to Mumbai on 30th dec. do I have to pass quarantine in Mumbai.? Pls help me
Hello, I am travelling from Raipur to Bahrain via Mumbai. Since i have to layover one day in Mumbai due to flight connectivity, Whether i have to undergo for COVID PCR Test prior to travelling from Raipur.
does a 5 year old also needs to be undergo rt pcr if travelling to mumbai from delhi
@Harsh, there is no specific age specified there unfortunately
We are planning to visit delhi for 2 days. If I get my reports from Mumbai before I leave for Delhi, then do I still need to go through this tests the time I return back to Mumbai.
N how do I follow the quarantine rule as we will be visiting delhi for 2 days
Plz help
I am traveling from Mumbai to Delhi and return same day do I need to do the test
Implementation at Mumbai airport is pathetic. People were easily able to bypass the requirement and simply walk out of the airport. First hand news from people I know returning from one of these locations.
I am travelling from mumbai to goa for less than 72hrs, so can i get myself tested in mumbai itself as report takes 2 days and will be within 72 hrs of boarding.
Please help
@Nikita, you can get tested on arrival back in Mumbai at the airport.
For how long you have to wait at airport for report
But can u get it done before departure at mumbai
@Nikita, the purpose is to catch anyone infected while being out of Mumbai, not sure the purpose is served before departure. In theory you can. Not sure if it will be accepted though.
My resident is not in Delhi, I am from Bareilly Uttar pradesh but I need to take off from Delhi to pune. Did I require RT Pcr test report.
@Mohd, yes.
I have given my Covid 19 test sample on 28 November 2020 I have got one report today. They said you will get Rt pcr report in 2/3days. My train is on 2nd December 2020 from New Delhi to bandra terminus.
Can I come with that report?
Am going to Mumbai next month from Hyderabad do I need to get tested?
I will be travellng from Mumbai to Delhi on 15 feb. And will be travelling to Rampur UP by car which is a 4 hour journey. And will be back to Mumbai on 8 March via Delhi. Do i need to get RT-PCR test done before i take Mumbai flight from Delhi.
I am travelling by road from Gujarat to Maharashtra.
Do l need to do any covid test?
If so which one?
Earlier for business purposes upto 7 days from Goa to Mumbai no test was required.
..what is the status now
@Sameer Kamat you need to bring a -ve test in Mumbai from Goa
I am staying in Mumbai , and will be boarding Mumbai Goa flight in the Morning and will be returning back from Goa to Mumbai on the same day in the evening , in that case whether the new protocol of COVID test will be applicable.
I am traveling from Goa to Mumbai via flight, so I would need to get tested at Goa Airport or at Mumbai airport
@Anup, you can get tested at either as long as it is within 72 hours of arrival.
What About Delhi-Lucknow-Mumbai? Or Goa-Bangalore-Mumbai?
Going by the interpretation, passengers with such routing will need to carry a -ve covid test before boarding or get themselves tested at Mumbai before exiting the airport.
I am going to trevel from mumbai to Lucknow and i live in vapi gujrat, in this case RT PCR is required, I will go mumbai with train, please guide me