Maharashtra Govt scraps negative RTPCR report for fully vaccinated people entering Mumbai

Giving a go-ahead to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) proposal, the Maharashtra government on Thursday lifted the restrictions on fully vaccinated passengers to carry a negative RT PCR test report. BMC on Tuesday had written to the Maharashtra Chief Secretary proposing fully vaccinated passengers arriving in Mumbai to be exempted from carrying a negative RT-PCR certificate on their arrival. 

No RT PCR negative test report required for fully vaccinated passengers

Maharashtra Government on Thursday announced that "persons who have been vaccinated with both doses of COVID-19 vaccine and 15 days have lapsed since the administration of the second dose of the vaccine and is in possession of the final vaccination certificate issued through the COWIN portal then such persons are exempted from the mandatory requirement of possessing a negative RT PCR report on their entry into the state." 

The state government, in its order, also clarified that the exemption was applicable for both domestic and international passengers. The Maharashtra State government also relaxed the guidelines for the people who yet to be vaccinated or partially vaccinated as they extended the duration of the passengers of RT PCR report from 48 hours to 72 hours. 

BMC's letter to Maharashtra State government 

Earlier, BMC Chief Iqbal Chahal in his official letter to Maharashtra Chief Secretary had recommended the lifting of the restriction and wrote, "There are many passengers who are taking up the journey to Delhi or other business places in the morning and they are returning back on the same day in the evening or next day morning, in such case conducting the RT PCR test and getting the report becomes impossible."

The letter had also highlighted that since the vaccination drive is going across the nation and many citizens are fully vaccinated therefore the BMC has reached such a conclusion. 

As per BMC Chief Chahal, the restrictions were primarily imposed on the passengers arriving from Gujarat, Goa, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Kerala, however, due to an increase in the number of cases, it was decided to impose restrictions on all the passengers arriving in the City of Mumbai from any part of the country. 

(Image Credits: PTI)