Maharashtra government on Monday made it mandatory for people arriving in the state from Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Goa and Gujarat to have a negative RT-PCR test before boarding flights. The decision from the Maharashtra government comes amid a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in these states. The new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) ordered by the state government is applicable to all passengers travelling by rail, air or road.
Moreover, for domestic air travellers, the RT-PCR sample collection should be done within 72 hours before the scheduled time of landing at airports in Maharashtra, the state government said in a statement. For trains, the time is 96 hours and will apply to trains that halt or terminate in these states. For those yet to take a test, airports will run test centres, where the passengers will mandatorily be tested at their own cost before they are allowed to proceed. For trains, passengers who have not conducted RT-PCR tests will be tested for symptoms at stations when they get off. If they have any symptoms, they will have to undergo rapid antigen tests.
As per the notification, passenger from these states will be allowed entry if found to have no symptoms. Passengers with symptoms shall have the option of turning back to recuperate.
Minister Vijay Waddetiwar said earlier today that the state will take a call on whether it would allow flights, train and road travel to Delhi within eight days, and by which time the existing lockdown rules will expire.
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Maharashtra has reported 5,753 new Covid-19 cases, 4,060 recoveries and 50 deaths on Sunday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 17,80,208, said the state Health Department.