With the discovery of a new strain of CoVid-19 virus in the UK, the Maharashtra Government has swung into preventive measures to ensure they don’t have to deal with the repercussions of being caught unaware of the Virus another time. While the Government of India has barred flights from the UK, and notified SOPs for international travellers arriving into India, Maharashtra has become even more stringent.
The Maharashtra government has declared that all travellers from Europe and Middle-East arriving into an airport in the state, basically the Mumbai Airport, will be kept in institutional quarantine for 14 days. For people landing from other countries, they will be required to home quarantine for 14 days hereon.
त्याचबरोबर संपूर्ण युरोप आणि मध्य-पूर्व देशांतून येणाऱ्या सर्व प्रवाशांना ते विमानतळावर उतरल्यापासून १४ दिवस संस्थात्मक क्वारंटाईन करण्याचा तसेच अन्य देशांमधून येणाऱ्या प्रवाशांना होम क्वारंटाईन करण्याचा निर्णय घेण्यात आला.
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) December 21, 2020
For passengers put up in an institutional facility, they will be required to undergo an RT-PCR test on the 5th/7th day of their arrival. If they are confirmed negative, they will be allowed to go home and continue a Home Quarantine of 7 days. If they are positive but asymptomatic, they will be told to stay at the hotel itself under quarantine. This rule is to be implemented from December 21 itself, which might catch many people unaware.
Here are the relevant portions of the press release:
“From today, 14 days institutional quarantine has been made mandatory for passengers arriving in Maharashtra from all European countries as well as Middle Eastern countries. These passengers will be subjected to RT-PCR testing on the fifth or seventh day after quarantine. They will be released home after completing their quarantine period. The Municipal Commissioners at the airports where international flights land should arrange hotels and independent hospitals for quarantining such passengers. The Chief Minister also directed to set up a separate hospital for passengers from Europe if they have symptoms of the new virus,” read a press release from the government.
“Passengers from other countries will be checked and stamped with their hands and will be home quarantined. The Chief Minister also directed to provide PPE kits to all airport staff checking passengers from European countries, Middle East countries,” the release added.
By the time flights from the UK close, Mumbai expects to receive 1,000 passengers, and all of whom will be quarantined in hotels around the airport, as per the BMC Commissioner. Passengers who are found to be symptomatic will be shifted straight away to the Hospital.
Passengers arriving from any other country will be stamped for home quarantine till further notice.
Here is the complete text made available to LiveFromALounge by BMC for those arriving from the UK into Mumbai to start with.
Here is the complete text made available to LiveFromALounge by BMC for those arriving from the Middle East/Europe into Mumbai.
For transit passengers arriving at CSMIA, there are different procedures. Also, these procedures are applicable only when you have a connecting flight booked on the same PNR. Everyone else will be treated as a passenger terminating their journey in Mumbai.
Exceptions are being made only for the case of pregnant women and those who have a death in their immediate family.
Mumbai Airport’s Twitter handle has also started conveying information to passengers about institutional quarantine in Mumbai on arrival from the Middle East.
Greetings, passengers arriving from the Middle East will have to undergo 14 days of institutional quarantine. There is no update on the exemption applied for the same yet. We Care, Team CSMIA.
— CSMIA (@CSMIA_Official) December 21, 2020
Pune has also instituted similar requirements.
Bottomline
This is an extremely worrying update for everyone who was planning to fly into Maharashtra from Europe, and more so from the Middle East. Dubai has been an open corridor with India for a while, and those who planned to spend their New Years in Dubai will find themselves committing to a 14-day Institutional Quarantine in Mumbai on their return.
What do you think of the new quarantine policy implemented in Maharashtra?
Liked our articles and our efforts? Please pay an amount you are comfortable with; an amount you believe is the fair price for the content you have consumed. Please enter an amount in the box below and click on the button to pay; you can use Netbanking, Debit/Credit Cards, UPI, QR codes, or any Wallet to pay. Every contribution helps cover the cost of the content generated for your benefit.
(Important: to receive confirmation and details of your transaction, please enter a valid email address in the pop-up form that will appear after you click the ‘Pay Now’ button. For international transactions, use Paypal to process the transaction.)
We are not putting our articles behind any paywall where you are asked to pay before you read an article. We are asking you to pay after you have read the article if you are satisfied with the quality and our efforts.
Hi, I’m coming from the UK with an OCI card – looking to come to India, though I haven’t booked the flight yet.
The flight is likely to be via Delhi to either Pune or Goa – though I could book via another airport such as Bangalore if needed.
Could you advise on a route to book – with an end destination of either Pune or Goa that would limit any institutional quarantine that would be needed?
Of course, I will have pre-departure negative tests with me and all necessary documents.
Also my partner is Russian and travelling from Moscow – I assume she doesn’t have the same requirement as UK travelers so is free to travel just with the test upon landing?
I appreciate all your efforts in keeping people up to date! Thankyou.
I should add – my planned arrival date is approx 12-16th January
My flight is Frankfurt – Delhi – Mumbai. Do i have to quarantine at Mumbai? Because i will land on domestic.
Two queries pl…..I belong to Pune and plan to fly back from Dubai on 14th Jan. Can I avail institutional quarantine in Pune for these 7 days OR Should I travel to Goa / Hyderabad / Bangalore and come by domestic flight or road to Pune to avoid quarantine ?
Better you take a RT-PCR test in Dubai and land at another airport and take a domestic flight to Mumbai/Pune.
I am travelling from Lagos to Mumbai via dubai on 10th Jan. Do I still have to go through institutional quarantine in Mumbai
Dear Sir,
My flight from Lagos -Dubai-Mumbai is on 9th Jan from Lagos and reaching Mumbai on 11th Jan. please let me know if institutional quarantine is still applicable in Mumbai ?
Hi,
My wife who is pregnant is traveling from London (UK) to Madurai via Mumbai on 8th Jan 2021.
She would be able to take next flight to Madurai if she carries RT-PCR test? and she will be fine to take RT-PCR arrival too.
Thanks.
I am traveling to mumbai on 6 jan from mumbai. Do I have to take covid test before I board the flight? I am flying by Emirates. Also I would like to clarify,that quarentine period was only upto 5th jan will I too need quarentine when I arrive on 6th??
Any update on this
I have a flight from dubai to mumbai on 8th jan.
To avoid quarantine can i land in other state (hyderabad or ahmedabad) or other city in maharashtra (pune) and then take a domestic flight to mumbai. Is this a viable option to avoid hotel quarantine. I will be taking negative report with me.
Have quarentine rules been relaxed for passengers coming from Dubai to mumbai? I will be landing on 6th jan.j
@Jessica, no
7 days quarantine for Gulf passengers , till now no update for relaxation.
SIR, MY SELF IS KANAKKUMAR KORADIA AGE73,PARALLYSED FROM LAST 8 YRS, TRAVELLING FROM DUBAI TO MUMBAI ON 15/1/2021 IF I CARRY TEST REPORT OF COVID 19 RT-PCR FROM DUBAI AND ITS IF NAGATIVE THAN ALSO I HAVE TO INSTITUTIONAL QUARENTINE FOR 7 DAYS ? PLEASE REPLY.
I am praful parekh from mumbai my granddaughter went to Dubai with some our relatives for some.religious work and will be back by 2/1/21 is compulsory quarantine.is applicableto them
@Praful Parekh, It is ‘Compulsory’ for everyone coming from the Middle East: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, etc. Also, it is for the safety of your family and everyone else.
I have my flight to mumbai in the month of january . If i come with covid test done prior to journey still i have to u dergo institutional quarantine
Plz reply
Its very clear that you have to undergo quarantine. There are just two exemption category other than that there will be no choice unless the rules are revised.
However we hope that there will be some revisions by first week of Jan’21.
Hi , if we are traveling from Baharin which is another country in Uae and not Dubai are the same 7 days quarantine rules applicable as we have booked for the 7 th Jan from bahrain to Mumbai .as we live in Pune .and will also get a covid test before traveling 72 hours prior and only if test is negative will we be allowed to board .
Mr.Ajay,
I have a flight on 5th Jan from Dubai and shall reach Mumbai on 6th Jan. Since there is no such rule in mangalore,
What if I change it to Mangalore and next day with different pnr I travel to Mumbai also with different flight.
Will I have to go for institutional quarantine.
For how many days do quarantine concept will be continuing in current circular..?
If i am travelling to Mumbai, My depart time is 7.40pm on 31st Dec,2020 and arrival time is on 1st jan,2021 00.15am then whats the proper guideline for institutional Quarantine and exemptions and i got the information that passengers arrived on 23 dec,2020 got the exemptions on submitting the RT-PCR at airports
I travel from Frankfurt to Delhi to Pune.
The PNR is the same and I have 6 hours halt at Delhi.
Am I expected to undergo institutional quarantine in Pune? Appreciate any thoughts
As per the attached PMC circular – MCO/GAD/6593 dt. 22.12.2020, clause # 1 & 11, 7 days self paid institutional quarantine is applicable for all passengers from Middle East /European countries including Transit passengers – which I think, will include you even if you are coming via Delhi. You can recheck this circular for more clarity. Hope this gets revoked in first week of Jan.
I landed from Kuwait yesterday at Mumbai airport- Though I had negative Covid certificate, I was directed to hotel quarantine for 7 days. For all passengers from Europe, Middle East ( as per the circular) it’s compulsory and here they don’t even check any PCR test certificates. It’s a mess here without any proper management at airport as there are huge crowds at the counters without any safe distancing. No proper information boards and you need to rely talking to personnel standing here and there. I took 4 hours to come out and then the long que for getting buses to hotels. Finally I reached hotel after 7 hours upon landing as bus will carry people going to different hotels at totally different locations! It’s better to book a hotel from the list as I did ( you need not do any advance payment ) – as some hotels didn’t have rooms when we reached and they had to go back to airport to get another bus and hotel ( as you are not allowed to change hotels without informing the authorities). Also the person on bus will ensure that you are safely “deposited “ to the hotel and receipt is taken
Any update from passenger who already travelled from dubai to mumbai in last 2 days. My flight is on 7th jan from dubai to mumbai. Can we expect any change till then
My parents are flying from Dubai to Mumbai. For INstitutional quarantine are there guided list of hotels and how do we get to know about it? Do we have the choice to select the hotel where they would like to quarantine themselves?
Hi.. I just have an out of box question with regards to Dubai to Mumbai flights and new quarantine update… if i am vaccinated in Dubai for Covid (Pfizer), still on arrival to mumbai i would need to get into institutional quarantine??? or in that case any type of quarantine?? Kindly provide with your input. Thanks in advance
Dr Azeem Patel, India has not notified any exemptions at the moment or put in place a protocol to accommodate people who are already vaccinated. I won’t expect this to happen till Indian Citizens’ vaccinations start getting on their way.
The circular from Mumbai Municipal Corporation is only for passengers arriving from UK. There is no mention of Middle East in the Circular….????
They are doing quarantined, we came from the Dubai Yesterday and they quarantined us, we have 2 month baby with us, but they are not ready to listen
Noted from the Corporation Circulars that Mumbai has implemented 14d and Pune has 7d of Institutional Quarantine for passengers arriving from Middle East too. What would be applicable if I land at Mumbai but need to proceed to Pune by road ? Will I need to Undergo institutional Quarantine at Mumbai for 14d BEFORE proceeding to Pune ? Kindly respond to re-plan my travel.
You will have to undergo 7 days institutional quarantine in Mumbai and if found negative on the 7th day, will be asked to quarantine at home in Pune for a further 7 days.
Thanks – where can I get the link for list of hotels with rates for quarantine at Mumbai.
I got a list from net for hotels with tentative rates though not the latest ( August ) . Would have been better is Pune citizens could be quarantined at Pune ! Hope new circular will be released soon on this matter !
My parents are planning to fly to Mumbai from Australia via DXB. They will be getting the RT-PCR test 48 to 72 hours before flying. Will they still be required to do institutional quarantine in Mumbai?
Same case with me. There should not be institutional quarantine for such travellers who didn’t travel inside middle East but only stopover of few hours at DXB between connecting flights. But BMC circular is silent on such cases. If u receive any information on this please pass on this platform. thanks
I and wife will be travelling from Chicago to Mumbai via Abu Dhabi and then to Ranchi by domestic flight on 17th and 18th January 2021.We shall board at Chicago with RTPCR test report done within 96 hours prior to departure.
Shall we be subjected to quarantine at Mumbai?
If the flight to ranchi is on a separate PNR (which i think it will be), then you will have to undergo institutional quarantine for 7 days in Mumbai. Refer to the notice and this article.
“For transit passengers arriving at CSMIA, there are different procedures. Also, these procedures are applicable only when you have a connecting flight booked on the same PNR. Everyone else will be treated as a passenger terminating their journey in Mumbai.”
If I am flying from Canada via Abu Dhabi to Mumbai, do I still need to do institutional quarantine? My lay over is for 3 hrs in Abu Dhabi.
I will landing in Mumbai on 14th of jan.
I will be travelling from Dubai to Mumbai for 3 days, arrival on 1st Jan and return on 3rd Jan. Please confirm if any Quarantine rules applicable for short period of travel.
@Lalitkumar, you will be subject to a 7 day quarantine, at the minimum I believe.
Hi Ajay,
Thanks for the information. 14 days institutional quarantine is only if someone is landing at one of the airports in Maharashtra.
Other airports are like Hyderabad, Chennai and etc. Are not having such restrictions.
Plz advice.
Hello @Mr saurabh ,the revised quarantine rules and new advisory is applicable for only arriving into Maharashtra.
Even though der destination is in Maharashtra
Is it?
Please reply
Coz iam maharashtrian Nd coming via Delhi
Is institutional quarantine mandatory for passengers coming from other countries but have the connecting flight in UAE.
I will be travelling from Paris-Mumbai-Chennai on 24th Dec and reaching Mumbai on 25th December. Should i be in institutional quarantine in Mumbai breaking my journey to Chennai. Please advice
Dear Mr Ajay
If you have covid pcr test done within 72 r’s of departure then you can proceed further or you will have do a test on arrival wait for 8 hours and then proceed further for the domestic flight
Since its on the same PNR, get a test done within 72 hours of departure from Paris. You can proceed to the domestic connection after verification of your documents.
I have my flight ticket on 24 of morning from dubai to mumbai. As per the new law we have to be quarantined but I dont have money for that. Plz let me know as I am the solo person in my family to earn and for past one year I was without work and even now when I travelled to Dubai to search a job, I dont have money so i am travelling back.what can i do
Hi Ajay,
Quick question, hoping you can shed some light on this since I’m unable to get an answer from Indigo or the Mumbai airport (seems like everyone was caught unaware by Govt. Of Maharashtra’s announcement).
I have a DXB-BOM-NAG flight (same PNR for both legs) on 24 JAN 2020. How will this be impacted by yesterday’s announcement on mandatory institutional quarantine? Will I have to break the journey on arrival to BOM and quarantine in Mumbai, or will I be able to take my connecting flight to NAG and have to quarantine there?
Hoping you can help point me in the right direction. Thanks!
@Satya, I think you will have to wait it out for a few days to see how this implemented. Give this at least Jan 1 to stabilise. Let’s connect after. We also don’t have any reader insights yet from those who are arriving on these flights.
Got it, will keep an eye out for reader insights on LFAL. Will chime in if I hear anything useful from my friends who are planning on making trips to Dubai for new years.
Thanks for the prompt response!
@satya
My Cousin travelled from DXB to MUMBAI on 21 December but he had adviced Strict Home Quarantine for 14 days and also the authorities informed District administration to keep an eye on people came from this country’s for Quarantine period.
So, as of now there is no exemption applied. If my understanding of circular is correct;
Even if a traveller from Middle East arrives with a negative RT-PCR test report they have to undergo institutional quarantine?
Even if a passenger tests negative in RT-PCR test at Mumbai Airport they have to undergo institutional quarantine ?
Even if a passenger is travelling with you kids or senior citizens they have to undergo institutional quarantine ?
Even if a passenger is travelling in emergency they have to undergo institutional quarantine ?
So bottom line don’t fly via Mumbai.
Mr.Ajay
As specified in circular
Institutional quarantine is only for passengers arriving from Uk.
In your article its mentioned UAE.
Can u explain plz where is the source of this news.
@Jagruti, it was at a press briefing. Also, included the CMO Maharashtra’s Tweet in this regard for your reference.
If I am correct, this applies to all pax travelling from the UK and Dubai.
This tweet from the Airport I believe includes middle East as well:
“Greetings, passengers arriving from the Middle East will have to undergo 14 days of institutional quarantine. There is no update on the exemption applied for the same yet. We Care, Team CSMIA.”
I presume that a pax who says comes from LHR-DXB-BOM will undergo 14 days quarantine as well as a pax who comes from BOM-DXB-BOM..