In light of reduced number of COVID-19 cases in the country and worldwide; the Indian government may soon do away with the Air Suvidha portal.

Introduced in the month of August 2020, Air Suvidha is a self-reporting portal for international arrivals in India. All air passengers arriving in the country had to fill in details about their travel plans, vaccination status and COVID-19 test results before departure from source destination. But this may soon change. Government agencies are planning to monitor the COVID situation for the next eight weeks and accordingly make a decision regarding scraping the portal.

As most countries in the world are also easing up restrictions and mandatory requirements for international passengers, dropping the mandate for Air Suvidha may be a welcome news for travelers. However, this may not come about till August this year at least; as per the latest update by the Health Ministry.

Since COVID-19, international travel is rife with challenges. You can ease it a bit by booking your international flights to India via Indian Eagle.

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Many states in India have tightened the entry rules in an attempt to curb the severe impact of the second wave of COVID-19. Given the alarming rise of COVID-19 cases in the state, Maharashtra has resorted to imposing stringent lockdown-like restrictions along with the implementation of Section 144 across the state for 15 days (till May 1, 2021). The current situation, which calls for constant revision of guidelines, makes it imperative that travelers stay in the know of the minute-to-minute updates related to travel requirements, entry rules and quarantine norms in effect in the city they are traveling to. This article brings to you the latest guidelines for international passengers arriving in Mumbai, one of India’s major ports of entry.

• All international travelers, including children and infants, must submit the filled-out self-declaration form (SDF) on the Air Suvidha portal 72 hours before the scheduled travel.
• They must also update a negative COVID-19 report along with a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report. The RT-PCR test should have been conducted within 72 hours before boarding the flight to Mumbai.
• All passengers must download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices. Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the flight to India after the thermal screening.
• Passengers also need to submit a hard copy of an undertaking form to MCGM officers upon arrival at the Mumbai airport.
• Mumbai mandates self-paid institutional (hotel) quarantine for 7 days followed by 7 days of home quarantine for all international travelers coming from the Middle East, Europe, UK, South Africa, and Brazil. These travelers need to take the COVID-19 test (at their own cost) on the seventh day and all the passengers who tested negative for COVID-19 must home quarantine themselves for 7 days.
• International passengers arriving from countries other than those mentioned above must mandatorily undergo a home quarantine of 14 days.
• BMC’s (Bombay Municipal Corporation) latest guidelines for international passengers arriving in Mumbai updated on 20/03/2021 deem the following categories as eligible for seeking exemption from institutional quarantine.

1. Passengers above the age of 65 years.
2. Pregnant women in the advanced stage of pregnancy.
3. Parents who accompany children below 5 years.
4. Passengers who require immediate medical attention (on condition that they provide supporting documents and medical conditions that need admission in a medical institution immediately).
5. Extreme family distress conditions such as death in the family, or if a family member is facing critical health conditions or has met with a serious accident.
6. Vaccinated passengers (on presenting the vaccination certificates and a self-declaration)
7. Medical professionals traveling to India to perform life-saving surgery or attend to critical patients (relevant proofs from the hospitals must be provided)

• As per the latest guidelines for international passengers arriving in Mumbai, passengers transiting through Mumbai to their final destination (domestic) will be subjected to the RT-PCR test before taking their connecting flight at the Mumbai airport. However, passengers arriving from UK, Brazil and South Africa are required to wait for the test result and will be allowed to proceed for their onward journey only if the test result comes out negative.

The post Is Mumbai Your First Port of Entry? Check Out the Latest Guidelines for International Passengers Arriving in Mumbai appeared first on Travel Blog | Travel Inspiration, Tips and News | Travel Diary.

We have seen the world coming to a screeching halt with the outbreak of COVID-19. Travelers locked themselves inside their homes, putting an abrupt end to their plans of roaming around the world. Although the restrictions on air travel are greatly eased now, it seems travelers are still apprehensive of crossing the borders. In these circumstances, a road trip is the next best thing to appease your wanderlust. As long as you are ready to embrace the change and adopt the safety measures, you could enjoy and explore while staying safe. So, what now? Hop into your car, crank up the engine, and follow the road! But before that, refer to this checklist for road trips so as not to compromise on your safety.

Pre-plan your trip:

A road trip during COVID-19 requires a thorough pre-planning as this is not the ideal time for unplanned road trips or detours. Plan your route and shortlist the safe zones along the way to your destination. Pin down the places for rest, food, and stay (book your lodging beforehand). In case you are planning an intercity or interstate road trip in India, keep tabs on the travel policies implemented in the areas you are crossing.

Get your car serviced:

It is the smartest decision to have your car serviced before embarking on a long road trip so as to prevent vehicle malfunction and be sure that your vehicle is in top condition and safe for driving. Do not neglect even the slightest issue related to steering and braking systems, car’s fluids, air pressure in tires, and windshield wipers. Double-check if you are carrying the insurance papers, license and registration certificate, car manual, spare tire, jumper cables, car seat organizer, what have you.

Sanitize the car frequently:

Sanitize the frequently touched surfaces of the car every now and then, mainly the steering wheel, gear shift, handbrake, dashboard, door frame and handles, window panes, seat belt buckles. While cleaning, wipe in one direction and don’t wipe back. You could use disinfectant sprays for sanitizing seats, ceilings, and floor mats.

Packing the essentials:

Stocking up on sanitation essentials is the most important part of planning a road trip during COVID-19. Pack everything extra — masks, alcohol-based sanitizers, hand wash, disinfectant sprays/ wipes, tissues, and disposable gloves. Have a disposable plastic bag handy to discard the used wipes and tissues in a proper manner.

Food items and drinks:

Prefer carrying food items from home as it is safer than eating out on your road trip during COVID-19. Make arrangements for your water needs and pack dry and healthy snacks, fruits, energy-boosting drinks, and juices generously. We recommend that you carry a portable electric kettle for hot water and tea. If you plan to eat at a food outlet, include your own cutlery (plates, spoons, cups, and glasses) to this road trip checklist.

Safety tips and a quick checklist for road trips:

• As a basic safety measure, change your mask every 10 hours, sanitize your hands frequently and follow the social distancing protocols.
• It is advisable to wear gloves as you might be required to exchange money at toll booths, petrol stations, etc.
• Download the route map beforehand to efficiently deal with poor signal issues in certain areas and to reduce dependency on your mobile.
• Make digital payments whenever possible — at gas stations, restaurants, shops, etc.
• If you are taking a long road trip during COVID-19, see that you pack right and pack light — take sufficient clothes, toiletries, sunscreen, sunglasses, torch, power bank, soft neck pillow, cushion, and blanket among others. Use washable footwear.
• Apart from your personal medical needs, include thermometer, band-aids, pain relief gels/sprays, anti-allergens, and insect repellents to your first-aid kit.
  

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