With the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Punjab and Chandigarh, the Karnataka government has made it mandatory for passengers travelling from these two places into Karnataka to have a negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours at the time of arrival.
This will be enforced from March 25 6 p.m., according to a circular issued on Monday by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, which added that the matter has been examined in consultation with the Technical Advisory Committee. Having a negative RT-PCR test is already mandatory for passengers from Kerala and Maharashtra.
“Negative RT-PCR certificate not older than 72 hours shall be compulsorily produced by the passengers coming to Karnataka by flight, bus, train, and personal transport. This will be applicable for all the flights originating in Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, and Chandigarh,” the order stated, and added that the airline staff should issue boarding passes only to passengers with the negative RT-PCR certificate not older than 72 hours. It also places the onus on railway authorities to ensure that all passengers travelling by trains carry the certificate.
Meanwhile, the department has told Deputy Commissioners of the districts bordering Maharashtra and Kerala to make arrangements to ensure that all the vehicles entering Karnataka are checked for compliance. Bus conductors should ensure that all passengers from these states possess RT-PCR negative certificates.
Those who are exempted from these certificates are constitutional functionaries and healthcare professionals, children below 2 years, and those who are in an emergency situation which may include a death in the family or medical treatment.