Covid-19 Travel Rules: RT-PCR Test Mandatory for anyone landing in Mumbai

By Sanjay Maurya

News Highlights

Mumbai made a negative RT-PCR test (within 72 hours) obligatory for all domestic travellers on 1^st
Travelers would be required to be completely vaccinated or submit to a mandatory RT-PCR test within 48 hours of arrival.
For visitors coming to the state from ‘at-risk nations, a seven-day institutional quarantine is required.

With the possibility of a ‘highly transmissible’ new Omicron strain looming, Mumbai made a negative RT-PCR test (within 72 hours) obligatory for all domestic travellers on Wednesday (1st December 2021). This comes only hours after Maharashtra’s Uddhav Thackeray-led government enforced a mandatory 7-day institutional quarantine for travellers arriving from ‘at-risk countries.

European countries, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel are among the countries (at risk updated as of November 26, 2021) from which travellers would need to take extra precautions upon arrival in India. All domestic airlines have been instructed not to board passengers bound for Mumbai unless they have received a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of departure.

However, in the event of an emergency, testing may be permitted at the Mumbai airport upon passenger arrival. Meanwhile, no case of Omicron has been detected in India, according to Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, who advised states and UTs to be vigilant and maintain a close eye on overseas visitors entering the country through different airports, ports, and land border crossings.

For Domestic Travelers

In the event of domestic air travel inside Maharashtra, travellers would be required to be completely vaccinated or submit a mandatory RT-PCR test within 48 hours of arrival.
Passengers from other Indian states would be required to take a negative RT-PCR test within 48 hours after arrival, with no exceptions.

For International Travelers
For visitors coming to the state from ‘at-risk nations, a seven-day institutional quarantine is required. -Passengers travelling from ‘at-risk nations will also be subjected to an RT-PCR test on their second, fourth, and seventh days in the state. – If a passenger test positive, he or she will be sent to a hospital. – Passengers from nations that aren’t considered ‘at-risk will be required to do an RT-PCR test at the airport. – Even if the results are negative, they will be subjected to 14-day home quarantine. The patient will be admitted to a hospital if the test results are positive.