Since the beginning of December, international passengers have had to undergo Covid tests that have taken up to six hours
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a GMR led consortium, has further smoothened the process for mandatory Rapid and RT-PCR tests which passengers from high-risk countries need to undergo at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Since the beginning of December, international passengers have had to undergo Covid tests that have taken up to six hours.
For the convenience of the passengers, DIAL has set up 20 dedicated counters on arrival piers for passengers who have pre-booked their RT-PCR/Rapid PCR test (tests can be pre-booked at Air Suvidha portal onwww.newdelhiairport.in). There will be dedicated queues for these passengers. They will save the time the taken for registration and will proceed directly for testing.
“A significant number of incoming international passengers at Delhi Airport are pre-booking their Rapid/RTPCR tests. This number of pre-bookings has been going up ever since the latest testing norms have come into practice. These dedicated counters will help ease the process further for passengers.”
— Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO-DIAL
DIAL is also facilitating the RT-PCR tests of 2 per cent international arriving passengers who are not from at-risk countries. With DIAL’s facilitation, these tests are being carried out free of cost with no burden on the passengers.
Passengers from 11 At Risk countries, including Europe, have to undergo mandatory RT-PCR/Rapid PCR test on arrival in India. The arrangement has been made following rise in cases of infection by a new variant of COVID-19 virus (Omicron). Appropriate signages have been placed at strategic locations to guide passengers to make their way to these testing facilities.
In a bid to ease the RT-PCR/Rapid PCR booking process for the passengers, DIAL in collaboration with Ministry of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has allowed for online payment to pre-book the test from the originating airport itself. About 80 per cent of the international arriving passengers from ‘At Risk’ countries opt for Rapid PCR.
“A significant number of incoming international passengers at Delhi Airport are pre-booking their Rapid/RTPCR tests. This number of pre-bookings has been going up ever since the latest testing norms have come into practice. These dedicated counters will help ease the process further for passengers,” CEO-DIAL Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said.
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