‘Why should only we pay?’: People arriving at Mumbai Airport say they are forced to take paid COVID-19 tests

Gajendra Thomar said he had to shell out Rs 850 for a test and Deepak Agrawal says many people were fighting at the airport

Passengers arriving at the International Airport have alleged that they are being forced to undergo COVID-19 tests for a price (Rs 850), when the BMC has been conducting tests for free in the city. They claim the reports are sent to them online nearly 24 hours later and have questioned the point of such tests (RT-PCR) which allow them to move freely until then.

Passengers arriving by train at Dadar station on Thursday being tested. Pic/Ashish Raje

While Mumbai Airport Authority Limited (MIAL) officials said they are only following state government orders, a BMC official said flyers who don't want to pay can get the tests done before and carry the report.

In the past few days COVID cases have spiked in the city and civic officials have the challenge of preventing the spread by finding those positive. The BMC has also increased testing. However, it is not charging passengers coming by train for the tests. At the airport, however, BMC officials have been conducting mandatory RT-PCR tests on passengers, if they don't carry a negative report done within 72 hours of their arrival.

Passengers furious
Speaking to mid-day, Gajendra Thomar, a resident of Thane and a construction sector contractor said, "I am a regular traveler for business purposes. I went to Delhi last week and returned to Mumbai on Tuesday via flight. At Mumbai airport, I was forced to go through a test and had to pay Rs 850 for it. After the swab test they allowed me to leave the airport and told me that I would get the report on my mobile from 8 to 24 hours later. But this report should be given immediately. Within 24 hours, had I been positive, I could have easily spread it as I was allowed to roam freely."

"Also, in Mumbai city the BMC is conducting free tests but at the airport they charge. I have just started my business which has stopped due to the lockdown. I travel 4-5 times in a month and each time I will have to pay Rs 850 for a COVID test each time. They should stop looting people in the guise of COVID testing," he further added.

Another passenger, Deepak Kumar Agrawal, a social worker from Bhayander said, "On 14 March I arrived in Mumbai from Delhi. I was forced to a test and charged Rs 850 for it. Many passengers and families were fighting at the airport, refusing to pay for the test. Besides, the result of the test should be given immediately."

MIAL speak
According to a MIAL official, "Nobody can enter Mumbai by air without a COVID test report valid for 72 hours. If not, they have to undergo a test at the airport. It's mandatory for passengers from four states including Rajasthan, Goa, Gujarat and Karnataka arriving in Mumbai. We inform the BMC if any person is found positive and this takes 8 hours minimum. We are only following state government guidelines."

BMC speak
BMC Assistant Commissioner Devendra Kumar Jain, who is in charge of BMC staff deployed at the airport for testing, was not very clear about why only flyers were being charged. He said, "If the flyers don't want to pay for the test, they should get tests done before and carry the report with them."

Asked how passengers are allowed to move freely till the test result comes, he said, "If the passenger wants an immediate report she/he has to pay Rs 4,500 and will get it in 15 minutes. We don't have a facility to isolate people until the test results come. So we let them leave. But if found positive, we immediately inform them to quarantine themselves or offer to put them up at our quarantine centres. Cases are rising again in Mumbai and Maharashtra. We don't want to take any risk."