Maharashtra revises guidelines for international arrivals again, domestic rules eased

Passengers at the city airport on November 3. File pic

In a bid to keep the state's guidelines for international and domestic air travellers in sync with the Centre's, and not make them more inconvenient and stringent, the Maharashtra government has revised its November 30 order. As part of the changes made, the number of Omicron high-risk countries has been brought down to three and restrictions on domestic air travel have also been eased.

"The restrictions imposed by the Government of India from time to time shall act as minimum restrictions to be imposed on all international and domestic air passengers," says the order issued by state Chief Secretary Debashish Chakravarty.

People wait for passengers at the arrival section of the Mumbai international airport on November 30. File pic

High-risk countries

As per the new guidelines, South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have been categorised as high-risk countries. The list of high-risk countries will be updated based on the evolving situation in view of the Omicron threat. Passengers landing in Maharashtra will be categorised if they arrive from any of the high-risk countries or have visited any of them in the past 15 days before arriving in the state at any international/domestic airport.

Restrictions

In addition to the Centre's guidelines, the state will also implement its own regulations.

High-risk passengers will be deplaned on priority. They will be verified and screened at separate counters and subjected to RT-PCR tests immediately on arrival. They will have to undergo a mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine, with the second RT-PCR test to be carried out on the seventh day. If found positive, passengers will be shifted to COVID hospitals. In case of negative results on the seventh day, passengers will have to be in home quarantine for another week.

As per the previous order, tests on the second and fourth day were compulsory. The RT-PCR test on arrival was made compulsory for all international passengers coming from the countries other than those at-risk as well, and they were asked to undergo 14-day home quarantine, if found negative.

The passengers on connecting domestic flights were also asked to undergo RT-PCR tests in Maharashtra and be allowed to proceed only on being found negative.

In the revised order, the immigration authorities, including the police, have been asked to record and crosscheck the 15-day travel history of all international passengers. The airport will share the information with all airlines. Incorrect declaration will invite penal action under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Domestic rules eased

According to the revised order, for domestic air travel, passengers will either have to be fully vaccinated or compulsorily carry a negative RT-PCR test report done within 72 hours (instead of 48 hours) before boarding/arrival. The restriction of negative RT-PCR tests within 48 hours of arrival for passengers (vaccinated or not) from other states has been lifted.

Eight fliers are positive out of 485 tested so far

Between Nov 10 and Dec 2, 2,868 passengers landed at Mumbai airport from at-risk countries. Of these, 485 were tested and eight were found positive for COVID-19. In addition, one person, the relative of one of the passengers, was also found positive. The BMC has sent their samples to NIV, Pune for genome sequencing.

The BMC received a list of 2,868 passengers who came from 40 ‘at-risk countries' and are residents of Maharashtra.

While the city has its own genome sequencing facility, it needs a certain number of samples to start the cycle. The tests were already started on Tuesday after including a sample of a positive patient from Dombivli. The reports will come by the weekend and the next cycle requires another 300 samples.

- Prajakta Kasale