Passenger from Kolkata reaches Andaman without RT-PCR negative test report; Sent back from Airport

A passenger from Kolkata reached Veer Savarkar International Airport Sunday morning in Air India flight, without a negative RT-PCR test report, following which he was sent back to Kolkata.

and was not allowed to enter Andaman, following precaution being taken by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration from the new variant of COVID-19 virus. Taking advance precaution against from the new variant of COVID-19, Andaman and Nicobar Administration has already made it mandatory for all incoming passengers arriving.

at Veer Savarkar International Airport of Port Blair to mandatorily carry RT-PCR negative test report issued from a ICMR recognized lab, from 26th December 2020 onwards.  As per the new guideline the RT-PCR test should have been taken by every incoming passenger within 48 hours prior to commencement of the journey. “The decision was taken after consultation of all stakeholders in Andaman and even airlines staffs. We had issued necessary directions on 24 December 2020 giving almost 48 hours prior notice and hence the guidelines must be followed by all incoming passengers.

to avoid any inconvenience in future,”  Mr. Suneel Anchipaka, the Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman told UNI Sunday. He added that such steps are necessary to make Andaman and Nicobar Islands COVID-19 free and once this happens there would not no requirement for conducting frequent Rapid Antigen Test tests locally for people before travelling from one place to another.