After 2 years, random Covid tests on international fliers start at Mumbai, Nagpur airports

After over two years, free random Covid-19 tests for incoming passengers have been launched again at the Mumbai and Nagpur international airports from Saturday, officials said here.

At the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, two per cent of all international arrivals are being tested at random as per the latest Central and state guidelines.

The passengers are being identified by the respective airlines they have flown and guided to dedicated areas in the termininals for their RT-PCR tests, passengers must submit their samples and continue with their onward journey.

The testing labs will arrange to send the digital copy of the Covid-19 test results free of cost to the passengers directly, said the officials.

For convenience, the CSMIA testing facility is situated in the international arrival concourse, in the pre-immigration area and after the health-screening counters, which work 24x7.

The CSMIA has appointed an ICMR approved and NABL accredited lab for the testing, and provided 6 registration and 3 sampling booths for the testing process.

Besides, both the airports are sending out preventive measures, the details of the latest advisories at strategic points across the termini and their digital platforms, and all stakeholders have been sensitised to adhere to the periodic guidelines issued by the authorities concerned.