New Delhi: A rapid PCR test facility has been set up at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to cater to passengers, especially those heading to the United Arab Emirates, which has made the test reports mandatory to enter the country.
UAE has lifted restrictions on transit passenger traffic from the sub-continent and flights to Middle Eastern countries resumed from cities like New Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, Bengaluru, and Trivandrum from August 7 and airlines are expected to add more flights between India and the UAE as demand is too high.
Only transit passengers and UAE residents in India are allowed to travel to the Gulf country as of now.
Although the flights have been resumed for UAE, travellers are required to undergo a rapid PCR test before boarding.
The Genstring Diagnostic Centre which is currently set up at the IGI airport here for all COVID-related testing announced Sunday that it will provide the facility of rapid PCR tests also to passengers.
“Acting on the latest travel guidelines issued by United Arab Emirates (UAE), Genestrings Diagnostic Centre has set up Rapid PCR test facility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here today. The testing facility will have about 50 Rapid PCR Machines based on ID NOW technology to begin with and is looking at doubling this capacity as the demand increases. Cost per test will be INR 5000 with reports in 45-60 minutes,” Dr Gauri Agarwal, Founder-Director, Genestrings Diagnostic Centre told ANI.
The UAE lifted the ban on the entry of travellers from India and five other countries with effect from August 5. According to UAE guidelines, passengers would also be required to take the Rapid PCR test from approved labs 72 hours before departure to UAE.
Travellers will also have to take a rapid COVID-19 test no more than four hours before boarding the plane.
Unvaccinated people from some job categories, including medical workers, education sector workers or students studying in the UAE, and federal government employees have been permitted to return to the country.
With airlines based in India and UAE have started booking passengers to the Gulf country, Genstring Diagnostic said that the Rapid PCR testing facility at IGI will benefit passengers who were stranded in India for a long time due to COVID-19 pandemic.
“Passengers of Indigo, Vistara, Air India, Emirates, Etihad, Fly-Dubai and others will hugely benefit by opening of sector. This will help over 4 lakh passengers stranded here due to lockdown,” Genestrings Ddiagnostic Centre founder said. UAE residents will also have to present certificates of being fully vaccinated with COVID vaccines that have been approved by UAE health authorities, before they are permitted to travel.
For travelling to UAE, the passenger must have taken the second dose at least 14 days before departure.