PUNE: The tourism ministry has urged states and union territories to do away with RT-PCR tests for fully vaccinated people, who opt for inter-state travel and show their certificate on arrival. “The ministry sent a written letter to the state secretaries on Wednesday, urging State/UT To adopt a uniform travel protocol during Covid,” Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, told TOI.
On 9 August, Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy told the Lok Sabha: “The ministry has requested States/UTs to double the number of passengers carrying RT-PCR reports at the time of inter-state travel.”
As of now, some states allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter without a negative RT-PCR report. But a state like West Bengal (for travelers from Mumbai, Pune and Chennai), Karnataka, Goa, Chhattisgarh ask for mandatory RT-PCR negative reports of passengers irrespective of double immunization status.
Brar said the ministry was trying to persuade all states to adopt a uniform protocol – not to mandate RT-PCR tests for fully vaccinated passengers who provide their final vaccination certificate. held a meeting with the representatives of the ministry union of associations in Indian tourism hospitality and all state governments on August 5, with discussions primarily focused on harmonizing travel protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“States like Sikkim and Maharashtra Travelers from other parts of the country are being allowed on the basis of complete vaccination and not on the basis of RT-PCR test report. In principle, all the states that were part of the meeting agreed that it was a logical choice,” Brar said. The ministry will also hold a meeting with the ministries of health and civil aviation to find out how similar protocols can be carried forward and more relaxations can be worked out for passengers.
On 9 August, Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy told the Lok Sabha: “The ministry has requested States/UTs to double the number of passengers carrying RT-PCR reports at the time of inter-state travel.”
As of now, some states allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter without a negative RT-PCR report. But a state like West Bengal (for travelers from Mumbai, Pune and Chennai), Karnataka, Goa, Chhattisgarh ask for mandatory RT-PCR negative reports of passengers irrespective of double immunization status.
Brar said the ministry was trying to persuade all states to adopt a uniform protocol – not to mandate RT-PCR tests for fully vaccinated passengers who provide their final vaccination certificate. held a meeting with the representatives of the ministry union of associations in Indian tourism hospitality and all state governments on August 5, with discussions primarily focused on harmonizing travel protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“States like Sikkim and Maharashtra Travelers from other parts of the country are being allowed on the basis of complete vaccination and not on the basis of RT-PCR test report. In principle, all the states that were part of the meeting agreed that it was a logical choice,” Brar said. The ministry will also hold a meeting with the ministries of health and civil aviation to find out how similar protocols can be carried forward and more relaxations can be worked out for passengers.
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