Covid Explained: Latest Travel Guidelines And Protocols For Domestic Passengers

With coronavirus cases continuing to dip across the country, several states have decided to ease restrictions on entry of travellers.

Here’s a list of states and the travel guidelines to be followed by the flyers:

Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government as well as Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai have revoked the stipulation of mandatory negative RT-PCR test results for fully-vaccinated tourists coming to the state. The decision was taken in light of the fact that certain passengers taking flights to Delhi or other business places in the morning and returning on the same day could not get RT-PCR tests done.

The Maharashtra government on May 12, had imposed a restriction on all tourists coming to the state by any mode of transport that required them to carry a negative RT-PCR test report issued within 48 hours to the beginning of the journey.

Delhi 

A colour-coded plan for domestic flyers has been formulated by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority. Divided into four sections — Yellow, Amber, Orange and Red — people falling into different categories will have different guidelines to follow.

A Red level alert will be in place for travellers flying into Delhi from those states and Union Territories that have a positivity rate of more than 5 per cent. Not just that, restrictions will also be in place for those travelling from places that have a new mutant of the virus – They will have to show a certificate of vaccination for both the doses, or a negative RT-PCR test that should be maximum 72 hours old. Travellers who are unable to show either of these proofs will have to go through a quarantine period of 14 days at a paid or institutional centre.

Goa 

As per the state government’s latest guidelines, anyone flying into Goa will have to carry a negative RT-PCR report that is not less than 72 hours old.

Himachal Pradesh 

The Himachal Pradesh government has announced that a negative RT-PCR test result was no longer mandatory to enter Himachal. This, in fact, led to heavy vehicle traffic on roads connecting New Delhi and Himachal Pradesh on June 14.

Assam

No RT-PCR test result is required but all passengers will be undergoing thermal screening and a rapid antigen test upon arrival. They will be required to quarantine for 7 days upon arrival irrespective of the test results.

Karnataka 

People travelling from Maharashtra to Karnataka have to show a negative RT-PCR report which is not less than 72 hours old at the airport. The airlines shall issue boarding passes only to the passengers carrying RT-PCR negative certificate or vaccination certificate of at-least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Andhra Pradesh 

No RT-PCR test required for air-bound travel, but all passengers must undergo mandatory thermal screening prior to travel, and register themselves on the government portal (www.spandana.ap.gov.in). All asymptomatic passengers will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

With PTI inputs