India / Mumbai airport extends virus test facility to departing passengers

New Delhi: The Mumbai airport has now made available its express coronavirus infection test facility to departing passengers and non-passengers. The RT-PCR test facility is functional from October 15, the airport said.

The airport operator in a press release said, “Initially launched for arriving international transit passengers in line with the Civil Aviation Ministry’s directives, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has now further extended the availability of the test facility for passengers departing from the airport as well.”

The testing facility, located on the curbside of Level 4 at Terminal 2 for departing passengers, is also available for non-passengers visiting the airport to drop off or receive their loved ones, it added.

The initiative addresses passenger concerns regarding the different COVID-19 regulations across domestic and international destinations, it said adding, departing passengers can undergo the test at CSMIA before travelling to their onward destination and produce their negative test report to skip institutional quarantine at their destination.

The Mumbai airport had first launched the RT-PCR test facility last month for arriving international passengers transiting to a domestic destination from Mumbai as a measure to skip institutional quarantine upon arrival.

This was later extended to all passengers arriving at the airport as directed by the MoCA.

Since the commemoration of the test facility on September 6, the airport has witnessed a total of over 3,340 passengers opting for the test, with an average 100 test per day being conducted, said the release.

Till date 38 passengers tested positive, of the total tests conducted at the airport facility so far and they were transferred by the state authorities to designated COVID-19 institutions, according to the airport operator.

Departing passengers can make an online booking through the test feature available on the CSMI airport website or register themselves at the helpdesk set up at departures to enrol for the RT-PCR test before entering the terminal and receive a digital copy mailed directly or can also collect the physical copy of the test report within eight hours, it stated.

Passengers departing from the airport are encouraged to arrive at the terminal 8-12 hours before their scheduled departure, it added.