As COVID cases rise at an alarming rate in the Indian state of Maharashtra, new protocols have been put in place for all international passengers at Mumbai airport. The updated guidelines were announced on Tuesday by the civic body of Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which now mandates testing for all international passengers arriving at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

New guidelines

Until now, COVID tests at Mumbai airport were required for passengers arriving from “at-risk” countries only. However, on January 4th, the BMC revised the guidelines to include all international passengers for a COVID test.

According to the new protocols, all international passengers arriving in Mumbai, irrespective of whether they departed from an at-risk country or not, will have to take a Rapid RT-PCR test. If found positive, the passenger will be asked to take a regular RT-PCR test. Those testing negative will be allowed to leave the airport subject to a home quarantine for a week.

Passengers who test positive and display symptoms will be made to stay at a hospital free of cost. Those opting to stay at a private facility are allowed to do so at their own expense. Asymptomatic passengers, too, will have to quarantine at specified facilities free of cost or choose a private hotel from the list provided in the BMC circular.

Mumbai Airport terminal at night
Photo: Getty Images

Rising cases prompt action

Maharashtra has always been one of the most affected states all through the pandemic. As reported by the Hindustan Times, the state’s total COVID-19 infections tally on Tuesday saw an enormous spike from 18,466 to 6,730,494. Total Omicron infections in the region stood at 653, of which Mumbai accounted for 40.

Authorities in Mumbai feel that new cases may have gone unnoticed as COVID testing was limited to passengers arriving from only a select few countries. As the new variant has pretty much spread across the world, the BMC had to revise its testing guidelines at the airport. In an interview with NDTV, the civic body chief Iqbal Singh Chahal said,

“Omicron is spreading in Mumbai mainly because of passengers coming from non-risk countries. In the last 35 days, almost 2,00,000 passengers arrived (in Mumbai, from non-risk countries). Many of them are carriers of Omicron virus.”

Domestic traffic affected too

The new variant is now starting to affect domestic traffic in India as well. With any new COVID surge, states in India impose travel curbs and revise local testing guidelines for passengers arriving from affected areas within the country.

As reported earlier, the state of West Bengal had banned all international flights from the UK. Now, a new restriction has been announced for flights arriving from Delhi and Mumbai.

From January 5th, all West Bengal-bound flights from Delhi and Mumbai will be restricted to twice weekly – on Mondays and Fridays. The new airport curbs are part of the state’s broader restrictions as infections continue to increase in the region.

Have you been affected by these new traveling restrictions in India? What are your thoughts on this? Do share your comments below.