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Delhi govt files cases against 4 airlines for not checking RT-PCR reports of passengers coming from Maharashtra

By | Edited by Amit Chaturvedi, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Apr 18, 2021 07:03 PM IST

The Delhi government last week made the RT-PCR negative test mandatory for passengers coming from Maharashtra. The national capital has been witnessing surge in number of daily Covid-19 cases.

The Delhi government on Sunday registered FIRs against four airlines claiming that they failed to check negative RT-PCR reports of passengers travelling to the national capital from Maharashtra, news agency ANI reported. These airlines are IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet, & AirAsia, ANI further reported.

The four airlines against which cases have been filed are IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet, and AirAsia.(Representative Photo/AP)

These cases have been filed under the Disaster Management Act, according to officials quoted by ANI.

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"It has been observed that a large number of passengers took flights from Maharashtra to Delhi without a valid RT-PCR report. The Delhi government has written to the SHO of Indira Gandhi International Airport to lodge FIRs against Indigo, SpiceJet, Vistara and Air Asia," news agency PTI reported quoting a Delhi government official.

In a statement, IndiGo said that it has not received any FIR. Vistara and SpiceJet have not issued any statement on the development.

When contacted, an Air Asia spokesperson said, "AirAsia India confirms that we are in compliance with guidelines and protocols issued by the respective regulatory bodies. We would also like to clarify that we have not received any information from any authority on this matter."

The stringent action comes at a time when the national capital is recording is witnessing a surge in daily Covid-19 cases which crossed 24,000 mark on Saturday.

The Delhi government last week made it mandatory for passengers coming from Maharashtra to carry negative RT-PC report which is not older than 72 hours before departure. Passengers who are found positive will be quarantined at home or hospital for 10 days. Those without a negative report will be placed in quarantine for a period of 14 days, it had said.

The surge in number of cases led Kejriwal to seeking the Centre's help in ensuring adequate beds and oxygen supply for Covid-19 patients.

He also urged the Northern Railways which deployed 50 isolation coaches, each having two oxygen cylinders, at Delhi's Shakur Basti railway station. Twenty five such facilities will be placed at Anand Vihar by Monday, General Manager Ashutosh Gangal said today.

Among other measures put in place by the Delhi government, people comign from Maharashtra will have to undergo random sample collection. The passengers will be allowed to exit after sample collection.

Thermal screening will be done for all passengers upon arrival.

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