Combating coronavirus: What can passengers from the UAE expect as they land at Indian airports?

In view of planned phased return of Indian nationals stranded abroad by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India in coordination with Indian Missions abroad, all stakeholders have been directed to follow the guidelines to mitigate the possibility of spread of Covid-19 in India.
According to a circular issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare Department in Delhi, these are the protocols that would be followed at the airports upon landing.
The passengers will be quarantined at a paid facility for a period of 14-days from the date of arrival as per the protocol.
This is what you can expect upon landing in India:
STEP 1: HEALTH SCREENING
From the dedicated aerobridges, the passengers will arrive escorted by Airline Staff to the APHO Health Counters for Initial Thermal Screening, where symptomatic passengers would be isolated and moved to a designated hospital as per the existing SOPs. Note: Airlines staff in the aircraft and at the ground will ensure that the arriving passengers have filled their SRFs properly.

After screening, the remaining asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to move to the designated Immigration Counters with passports and a copy of the SRF (Self-Reporting Form) as per the existing SOP.

STEP 2: IMMIGRATION
The passengers will be directed to the designated Immigration Counters, in case any passenger presents himself at any other counter, the Immigration staff would direct him to the designated counters.

After clearance of immigration, the passport of the passengers shall be retained by the Immigration officials.

Passengers in batches of 30, will be handed over to the escort team 24x7 - five-member team, Headed by CISF and comprising a representative from DIAL, Airlines and state police authorities. The passports of these passengers would be handed over by the Immigration staff to the Team Lead (CISF officer).

The passports shall not be handed over to the passengers.

STEP 3: LUGGAGE COLLECTION AND CUSTOMS
The team, along with the passengers shall move to the luggage belts to collect the luggage. If there is any delay/missing luggage in the case of any/ few passengers, the respective passenger shall stay behind along with a team member and the rest of the team and passengers shall proceed further through the customs.
If there is any delay in the Customs Clearance, the respective passenger shall stay behind along with a team member, while the rest of the team and passengers shall proceed further.

STEP 4: CONTROL ROOM
The control room in-charge would perform the functions of supervision and coordination.The escort team would report to the control room in-charge who will assign a counter to the batch.

STEP 5: TRIAGE ROOM
The team along with the passengers shall move to the designated triage area manned by state government officials with logistics like laptops, etc.
There would be five screening counters manned by medical officers and para-medical staff deputed by the state government.

At the assigned counter, the passports of the entire batch will be handed over by the Team Lead to the Medical Officer-in-charge of the counter.

Passengers would be screened and those without any risk factors would be sent for home quarantine after providing them their passports, the home quarantine advisory and collecting a declaration from them, to remain strictly under home quarantine, or else face penal action, as per the rules. These passengers would be linked to the IDSP, surveillance system. Delhi Government would depute Delhi State IDSP team for this purpose.

The high-risk passengers identified for quarantine at the facilities would be first asked to fill up a declaration opting for paid/Govt. Quarantine Facility (based on availability).

The escort team would escort these passengers to the transport provided by the State Government.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com 

• India