Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to make a negative coronavirus report mandatory for people coming to the state from Kerala, the Hindustan Times reported, quoting officials. So far, such restrictions were in place for four states – Delhi, Rajasthan, Goa and Gujarat.
An order issued by the Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday stated that the decision was taken under provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and The Disaster Management Act, 2005, according to the Hindustan Times.
“The passengers travelling in flights from Kerala will have to carry RT-PCR negative test reports before boarding and will have to produce the same on landing at airports in Maharashtra,” Secretary Relief and Rehabilitation Anoop Kumar said, adding that the test should have been done within 72 hours to the scheduled time of landing in the state. Fliers who arrive without a report will have to undergo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR test at the airport before going home.
Meanwhile, passengers travelling in trains will have to get their tests done within 96 hours of reaching Maharashtra, the order said, according to News18. Those coming by roads will have to undergo screening at border check posts.
Kumar said that the decision was taken in view of the fact that Kerala had the highest daily growth of coronavirus cases. On Thursday, Kerala registered 5,980 new cases, accounting for over 46% of the total 12,923 cases recorded in the entire country.
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