All Passengers to be Tested for COVID19 on Landing at Mohali Airport

In the wake of directions of MHA to resume air travel from May 25, Deputy Commissioner SAS Nagar Girish Dayalan has issued orders that all passengers belonging to Punjab shall be tested for COVID19 at the airport.

The orders state that Chandigarh International Airport (CHIAL) falls in the jurisdiction of the district, so the entry of inbound persons into the State needs to be regulated in line with the protocol of the Health Department of the State of Punjab for the containment and prevention of the spread of COVID19.

Therefore all passengers belonging to Punjab shall be tested for COVID19 at the airport.

All such persons shall be required to undergo mandatory Home Quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of arrival. In case the test comes out to be positive, the person/s shall be shifted to an isolation facility. In case the test comes out to be negative, the person shall still be required to undergo home quarantine for 14 days and shall self-monitor their health status and report to the nearest government health facility in case they develop any COVID19 symptoms.

Passengers of other states moving through the airport shall be dealt with as per the protocol of the recipient State

This is being done in line with the directions of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India which specifically mentions that “States can develop their own protocol with regard to quarantine and isolation as per their assessment.”

However, it has been clarified that mandatory COVID19 tests shall be done only of passengers whose destination is Punjab (any district).

The passengers for UT of Chandigarh, Haryana, HP, etc. moving through the airport shall be dealt with as per the protocol of the recipient State.

Besides, it is said that the Airlines shall publicize this information extensively so as to ensure that this information is made available to all the passengers boarding the flights well before they reach the airports i.e. the points of departure.