Kolkata is all set to welcome flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chennai and Ahmedabad from Tuesday, 1 September. On 6 July, the West Bengal government had banned flights from these six cities for being COVID-19 hotspots.
Here’s all you need to know as flights to and from Kolkata resume after a nearly two-month hiatus.
Why were flights to Kolkata from these cities banned?
The West Bengal government, in order to curtail the number of flights that are operated to and from the state ,requested the Ministry of Civil Aviation to suspend flights from the above six cities as they carried a major load of COVID-19 cases in India.
The ban came into effect on 6 July and has been in place for more than a month.
When can the flights resume as per the latest guidelines?
The West Bengal government had initially allowed airlines to operate flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays for the first two weeks of September, while the second half of the month would see flights operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
However, after the Centre released its 'Unlock 4' guidelines, the flights to and from Kolkata will now be allowed on all days, starting 1 September.
But what about ‘complete lockdown’ days?
While the Centre has said that states cannot impose lockdowns outside containment zones, the West Bengal government on Monday, 31 August, said that statewide lockdown will be observed on 7,11 and 12 September. The order also states that flight operations will not be allowed on these days.
What are the quarantine requirements if I visit Kolkata?
- All passengers will have to undergo thermal screening on arrival
- Asymptomatic passengers will have to quarantine in Kolkata for 14 days
- Airlines are required to submit a self-declaration form of the passengers to the State Health Authority on a daily basis
Do I still need an e-pass to visit Kolkata?
Any passenger travelling to Kolkata from another state does not need an e-pass. The person will also not need an e-pass to undertake inter-district travel within West Bengal.
Are other states relaxing restrictions on flight travel as well?
As per the ‘Unlock 4’ guidelines, state governments can no longer impose individual lockdown. States like Tamil Nadu has increased the number of flights to the state to 50 every day.
On the other hand, Karnataka has said that it is not mandatory for those visiting the state to quarantine if they are asymptomatic.
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