Mumbai airport offers COVID-19 express test facility on arrival for all passengers

Passengers arriving at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport can now get an RT-PCR test on premises. The new service will help them skip the institutional quarantine, mandatory for passengers not carrying a negative test result. Mumbai is the second airport in India to offer this facility after the Delhi airport. The RT-PCR express test facility is situated near the exit gates of CSMIA’s Terminal-2. The process is as under:

• Online booking can be done through the ICMR-approved Suburban Diagnostics laboratory website. Alternatively, passengers can also register at the helpdesk on arrival.
• Testing cost is INR 1600, which is at par with the fee at other authorised labs. Also, the testing facility is open 24x7.
• After giving the test, the passengers will be ushered to the waiting lounge as they await the results. They may also book a room at the airport hotel after getting permission from the state officials.
• The hard and soft copy of the test reports will be given to the passengers in 8 hours.
• Passengers with negative test results can go ahead to their desired destination after getting a stamp showing home quarantine by the authorities.
• Passengers testing positive for COVID-19 will be moved to an authorised quarantine institution.
• The airport has issued a guideline for all international passengers to schedule their next flight with a gap of 8 to 12 hours.
• The testing service is available for all passengers arriving at Mumbai airport. However, it will be soon made available for departing passengers as well.
• According to the existing norms, all international passengers arriving at Mumbai airport are required to undergo 7 days of institutional quarantine and 7 days of home quarantine. However, they can skip institutional quarantine if they register in advance and present a negative COVID-19 test report taken not more than 96 hours before their flight journey.
• Earlier, the Ministry of Civil Aviation directed all airports to offer testing facilities to international transit passengers. However, authorities at the Mumbai airport have extended the same to domestic passengers, arriving at the airport, as well.