From August 8, 2020, Indian authorities had made a new provision for international arrivals into India. As long as passengers departing for India from international airports carried a CoVid-19 negative RTPCR test certificate which was done within 96 hours of departure, they won’t need to do a 7-day institutional quarantine in Delhi or whatever major airport they land from outside the country.

In a further modification of this provision, the Government of India made provisions for RT-PCR testing at the entry airports for arriving international transfer passengers only for now. The new guidelines apply for international passengers, who arrive at an entry airport in India without RT-PCR Negative certificate and need to take a connecting flight to domestic destinations in India. If the RT-PCR test results into a CoVid-19 negative report, the passenger will be permitted to take a connecting flight to other domestic destinations in India without needing to be quarantined at the city of entry airport.

Mumbai Airport launches on-arrival testing facility.

Mumbai International Airport has created a Sample Collection cum Waiting Lounge facility for RT-PCR testing and sample collection at the airport. The express COVID-19 RT-PCR test facility is for all passengers arriving at the airport. Located near the exit gates of the airport, the testing facility is available around the clock at a very reasonable cost of INR 1600 (USD 22). CSMIA plans to extend this availability of this service for passengers departing from CSMIA shortly as well.

While this service was only supposed to be made available to international transit passengers, it has been made available to all passengers arriving at CSMIA.

For availing a test, passengers can make an online booking on www.suburbandiagnostics.com or register themselves at the helpdesk set up at the arrival terminal to enrol for the RT-PCR test and receive a digital and physical copy of the test report in under 8 hours. From the looks of it, they have 999 spots a day, so capacity should not be an issue.

This facility is currently operational at the airport for all arriving passengers; all international passengers are advised to book their connecting flight with a gap of 8-12 hours.

Upon submission of test samples, arriving passengers will be guided to a waiting lounge with special F&B arrangements while waiting on the test report. Alternatively, passengers can also opt to book a room at the airport hotel, with the approval of the state authorities. Passengers who have tested negative will be allowed to proceed onward to their final destinations; they will receive a stamp indicating a home quarantine by the state officials. International arriving passengers exiting at CSMIA could display the results of the RT-PCR test to opt-out of the institutional quarantine and instead observe a 14-day home quarantine. In the event of a positive report, passengers will be transferred by the state authorities to a designated institution.

CSMIA plans to further extend the RT-CPR test service to passengers departing from the airport shortly wherein passengers can opt to undergo the test before leaving from the airport and have their report emailed to them.

Would you foresee a need to get a test done at Mumbai Airport Arrivals? Do you think this is good to have?

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