Telangana: Sent to quarantine despite -ve RT-PCR test report, claim flyers

HYDERABAD: Weeks after Telangana revised its quarantine norms, confusion still prevails at the city’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). Several international flyers claim they are being forced to undergo institutional quarantine despite producing a negative RT-PCR test report as prescribed in the latest government order. Some even alleged that they had to bribe officials manning the arrivals to walk out of the facility.

“My uncle and aunt recently returned to Hyderabad from Chicago. Both of them had taken their test, as per norms, and uploaded the results for exemption from institutional quarantine. Yet, at RGIA, officials refused to let them go claiming that they might have contracted the virus en route to India,” said Vish Atla, speaking to STOI from New Jersey. “When my uncle refused to give in, the officers said they’d withhold their passports if they didn’t pay Rs 2,000. The elderly couple was forced to oblige,” he added.
Another passenger travelling to Hyderabad from the US—who had also taken the test as per the rules—claimed he had to cough up the last $6 in his wallet to get past officials.
“It has happened to me and many other passengers. Despite Covid-19 negative report, I was sent to institutional quarantine and made to pay Rs 8,0000 for it. What’s worse, during quarantine they didn’t even conduct any test,” said Srinivas Uppuluri, who recently returned from Dubai.
Officials, however, refute these charges. “We are strictly following norms. Passengers who aren’t being exempted from institutional quarantine are either those who have taken their RT-PCR test several days/weeks ahead of travel or are producing rapid antigen test results—neither which are acceptable,” said a senior official of the state protocol department. The official maintained that there were no complaints against officers for accepting bribe.