Delhi Airport Set Up Rapid PCR Test Facility For UAE Passengers

In a bid to cater to UAE Govt requirements Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has set up a rapid PCR test facility especially for those who are heading to the United Arab Emirates.

It must be noted that the UAE has made the negative RT-PCR test reports mandatory for all passengers to enter the country.

UAE has lifted restrictions on transit passenger traffic from the sub-continent and flights to Middle Eastern countries resumed from cities like New Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, Bengaluru, and Trivandrum from August 7.

Airlines are expected to add more flights between India and the UAE as demand is too high. Only transit passengers and UAE residents in India are allowed to travel to the Gulf country as of now.

Although the flights have been resumed for UAE, travellers are required to undergo a rapid PCR test before boarding.

The Genstring Diagnostic Centre which is currently set up at the IGI airport here for all COVID-related testing announced Sunday that it will provide the facility of rapid PCR tests also to passengers.

“Acting on the latest travel guidelines issued by United Arab Emirates (UAE), Genestrings Diagnostic Centre has set up Rapid PCR test facility at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here today. The testing facility will have about 50 Rapid PCR Machines based on ID NOW technology to begin with and is looking at doubling this capacity as the demand increases. Cost per test will be INR 5000 with reports in 45-60 minutes,” Dr Gauri Agarwal, Founder-Director, Genestrings Diagnostic Centre told ANI.

The UAE lifted the ban on the entry of travellers from India and five other countries with effect from August 5. According to UAE guidelines, passengers would also be required to take the Rapid PCR test from approved labs 72 hours before departure to UAE. Travellers will also have to take a rapid COVID-19 test no more than four hours before boarding the plane.

Unvaccinated people from some job categories, including medical workers, education sector workers or students studying in the UAE, and federal government employees have been permitted to return to the country.

With airlines based in India and UAE have started booking passengers to the Gulf country, Genstring Diagnostic said that the Rapid PCR testing facility at IGI will benefit passengers who were stranded in India for a long time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Passengers of Indigo, Vistara, Air India, Emirates, Etihad, Fly-Dubai and others will hugely benefit by the opening of sector. This will help over 4 lakh passengers stranded here due to lockdown,” Genestrings Ddiagnostic Centre Founder said.

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