Different quarantine rules may apply to the travellers in different states, while some states will see “limited” operations and the resumption delayed by up to three days.
New Delhi, May 25:
As domestic flights have resumed in India after a gap of two months, several states have issued different rules regarding quarantine and testing of passengers post the air-travel. Flights have resumed across country, and passengers could be seen making a beeline at airports to board the flights to their respective destinations, while adhering to the social distancing norms. All the states have resumed flights except Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
Different quarantine rules may apply to the travellers in different states, while some states will see “limited” operations and the resumption delayed by up to three days.
States like Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, which have some of the busiest airports in the country in terms of passenger traffic, were opposed to immediate opening up of their airports in view of rising cases of the coronavirus infection.
While, others like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bihar, Punjab, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir were among the states which have announced their respective quarantine measures for passengers arriving at their airports.
West Bengal: Quoting officials, news agency PTI said that in Kolkata and Bagdogra in cyclone-hit West Bengal, flights will not operate between May 25 and 27, but 20 flights each day will resume from May 28.
Maharashtra: For Mumbai, which is country’s second busiest airport, the Maharashtra government had requested the Centre to keep the air services in the state at a minimum possible level. Services will be limited to 25 flights a day.
Tamil Nadu: Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said maximum of 25 flights per day can arrive in Chennai from Monday and there will be no limit on number of departures. For other airports in Tamil Nadu, flights will operate as in other parts of the country.
Andhra Pradesh: The minister said operations will resume on a “limited” scale in Andhra Pradesh from Tuesday following a request from the state government. Flights operate to Vijayawada and Vizag airports in the state.
Passengers coming to Andhra Pradesh would be put under home quarantine, said the state government, adding that once their test results for COVID-19 come negative, they will be relieved from isolation.
Delhi: The Delhi government directed authorities to ensure compliance of the Union Health Ministry”s guidelines on domestic travel, according to an official order. If passengers do not have symptoms, quarantine has not been mandated, while passengers with mild symptoms can home-isolate or choose government or private facility. Those with strong symptoms may be taken to government centers.
Jammu & Kashmir: The Jammu and Kashmir government said all incoming passengers will have to undergo 14 days of “administrative quarantine”.
Kerala: In Kerala as well, the government said on Friday that all flyers will be under a 14-day home quarantine and that it has made an exception to those coming for business purpose or for a short duration.
Punjab: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had said all incoming passengers will be put in home quarantine for 14 days while the Bihar government said that travellers will be put on “paid quarantine” for 14 days.
Assam: The Assam government said it will be putting flyers on a 14-day quarantine. The passengers might be distributed equally in home quarantine and government quarantine, it clarified.
Karnataka: The health ministry has said that any traveler coming from states where there is “high prevalence” of COVID-19 will be kept in institutional quarantine for seven days and if tested COVID-negative the passenger will have to spend the next seven days in home quarantine.
Karnataka has classified Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as “high prevalence” states.
The passengers coming through the remaining states to Karnataka will have to undergo 14 days of home quarantine.
However, the state government clarified that special cases where businessmen are coming for urgent work will not require to undergo any quarantine if they bring test results that are not more than two days old and show them COVID-negative.
