'At-Risk' Nations' Fliers To Pay For 7-Day Quarantine In Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday said that all international passengers arriving from "at-risk" countries will have to undergo a mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine. Sources at Mumbai airport say that the order to place passengers into compulsory isolation facilities will be implemented immediately. Travellers will be required to pay for the quarantine at designated hotels, a source added. The order may cause confusion at state airports as many passengers are mid-air on the way to the state, and would possibly be unaware of mandatory institutional quarantine rules and the hotel charges they would be required to pay.

These passengers will also be required to take RT-PCR tests for Covid thrice - on the second, fourth, and seventh days after arrival. 

Travellers who test positive will be shifted to a hospital while those testing negative will have to undergo an additional seven days of home quarantine, the government order said. The state government said that travel guidelines issued by the Centre on November 28 in view of 'Omicron', the new strain of Covid that has been designated a variant of concern, will act as "minimum restrictions". 

International passengers travelling to the state will have to submit a declaration detailing the countries they have visited in the last 15 days; this will be cross-checked by immigration on arrival. Incorrect information will make passengers liable to action under sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. 

Passengers from countries other than those designated "at-risk" by the union government will have to compulsorily undergo RT-PCR tests at the airport on arrival and undergo two weeks of institutional quarantine at home if the test is negative. If positive, they will be shifted to a hospital. 

The list of countries deemed "at-risk" for now includes the United Kingdom, all 44 countries in Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel.

For international passengers who have connecting flights to other airports in India and don't need to leave the airport at all, they will undergo an RT-PCR test at the first arrival airport in Maharashtra and will be allowed to board the flight only if they test negative. If such a passenger has a connecting flight within the state, they will be subjected to quarantine rules that apply to all other international passengers who land directly into the state. 

Domestic passengers travelling within the state will either have to be fully vaccinated or carry an RT-PCR test report conducted within 48 hours of the time of arrival. Domestic passengers from other states will have to carry negative RT-PCR tests conducted within 48 hours of arrival.