AHMEDABAD: In line with the guidelines of the Centre and the state for screening Covid-19 passengers, the authorities of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport in Ahmedabad have begun preparing for the thorough screening of international passengers.
A separate space has been earmarked at the arrivals area of the international terminal, Terminal-II, to screen, test, and isolate passengers from ‘At Risk Countries’.
Taking an RT-PCR test upon arrival is mandatory for all international passengers at SVPI airport and other airports in Gujarat. However, if the passenger is not travelling from the countries classified as at risk, he or she may leave the airport after giving the Covid test sample.
The Government of India has released a list of 11 countries which have been classified as ‘At Risk’. They are South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel.
“We have designated a separate zone at the arrivals area of the international terminal for screening passengers from At Risk Countries, soon after their customs clearance is done,” said a well-placed source. “Passengers will take the test for Covid-19 and remain on the airport premises till their reports are out.”
Airport authorities have arranged at least 200 chairs in this separate area to isolate passengers from the At Risk Countries. “Each passenger will have the option of taking either an RT-PCR test or an RT-LAMP test, which is equivalent to the RT-PCR test approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR),” said the source.
