Departing passengers
and non-passengers can now avail express coronavirus test facility at the
Mumbai airport, authorities confirmed on Saturday.  

According
to PTI, the RT-PCR test started working from October 15, a release
confirmed.

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The
facility was earlier available only for arriving international transit passengers
at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), in line with
the directive from Civil Aviation Ministry. It will now be available for
departing passengers as well, the release from the airport said.

The testing
facility is located on Level 4 of Terminal 2 and will also be available for
non-passengers visiting the airport to receive or drop off passengers.

The initiative
addresses concerns from passenger regarding varying COVID-19 protocols for different
domestic and international destinations, the release said, adding that
departing passengers can skip quarantine at their destinations by showing a negative
test result, which they can now acquire at the CSMIA.

The RT-PCR
test facility was first launched at the Mumbai airport last month as a measure
for incoming international passengers, transiting to a domestic destination, to
skip institutional quarantine.

The
Ministry of Civil Aviation later directed the facility to be extended to all
passengers arriving at the airport.

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The airport
has recorded over 3,340 passengers opting to get themselves tested at the testing facility since its inception on September 6, with an average of 100 tests
being conducted every day, the release stated.

38 passengers have so far tested positive at the airport, who were then transferred to
designated COVID-19 institutions.

Departing
passengers can make an online booking through the test feature available on the
CSMI airport website or register themselves at the helpdesk set up at
departures to enroll for the RT-PCR test before entering the terminal. A digital copy will be mailed directly or one can also collect the physical copy of
the test report within eight hours, it stated.

Passengers
departing from the airport are encouraged to arrive at the terminal 8-12 hours
before their scheduled departure, it added.