Major cities are gradually opening up as India recovers from the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. However, this has also led to overcrowding and a surge in people travelling interstate, with the health ministry advising people to not travel until absolutely needed.
With several states revising their travel guidelines – do you need an RT-PCR to travel? What if you are fully vaccinated? Should you quarantine?
Here's a brief primer. Read on.
Delhi
Random sample collection is being conducted at the Delhi airport for people travelling from different states and passengers will only be allowed to leave after the collection of the sample.
Thermal screening is also being conducted upon arrival for everyone. If a passenger is found positive, they will have to quarantine for 10 days.
Mumbai
If you're travelling to Mumbai, you have to carry a negative RT-PCR which should not be older than 72 hours. A passenger won't be allowed to board the flight if they fail to produce the RT-PCR reports.
Rules for International passengers have also become stricter as the number of cases are increasing in rhe city. The government of Maharashtra has made it mandatory to show negative RT-PCR tests (not older than 72 hours) even for international flights.
People who are fully vaccinated also need to produce the negative reports.
Chennai
The government of Tamil Nadu has made it mandatory for people travelling from Kerala to produce a nehative RT-PCR report and a certificate that shows that they're fully vaccinated.
As per the Union Government’s guidelines, all international passengers will be screened thermally at the airport.
Hyderabad
It is mandatory for the passengers to undergo thermal screening prior to travel, and register themselves on the state government's portal.
The rules for shorter stays are unclear. Watch this space for more information.
Bengaluru
People travelling to Bengaluru through any mode of transportation from either Maharashtra or Kerala are required to produce a negative RT-PCR report, conducted not more than 72 hours prior to arrival.
You are also required to carry your vaccination certificate if you've received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The government of Karnataka has made a seven-day institutional quarantine mandatory on Monday, 30 August
Revenue minister R Ashoka in a meeting announced that, “The government has mandated seven-day quarantine for travellers from Kerala as a precautionary measure and on the advice of experts."
Kolkata
The Government of West Bengal has made it mandatory for all in-bound flight passengers to show proof that they're fully vaccinated or get a negative RT-PCR report to enter the state. The test should not be older than 72 hours.
Any passenger flying without a negative RT-PCR report will have to mandatorily stay in quarantine for 14 days on arrival, as per the state government's guidelines.
Kerala
If you're travelling from other states to Kerala, you are required to produce a negative RT-PCR test which should not be older than 72 hours.
Within Kerala, negative COVID-19 results are not required for travelling.
Jaipur
It is mandatory to carry your RT-PCR test results conducted from an ICMR/ state government-approved lab within 72 hours at the time of arrival, if you are not vaccinated. The travellers not carrying the negative report will have to undergo quarantine for 15 days.
However, RT-PCR report is not required if you've at least received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Guwahati
Upon arrival, all passengers will have to undergo thermal screening and a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) in Assam.
A mandatory seven-day quarantine is required upon arrival irrespective of the test results.
Patna
All passengers entering Patna should carry RAT/RT-PCR negative reports not older than 72 hours.
Free of cost RAT test will be available at the airport upon arrival. All passengers must also download the Aarogya Setu app.
Lucknow
It is mandatory to show RT-PCR results from ICMR accredited labs within 72 hours of departure.
If you are arriving without an RT-PCR negative report, you will have to undergo Rapid Antigen Test at arrival at no charge.
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