Pre-departure RT-PCR test a major headache

Pre-departure RT-PCR test a major headache

Ayyappan.V@timesgroup.com

Chennai:11.110.2021

Taking pre-departure rapid RT-PCR tests at Chennai airport’s international terminal, compulsory for those going to countries in the Middle East, especially the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has become a problem, with little social distancing.

Poor crowd control and a lengthy procedure involving paying money, offering samples and receiving reports make it a hassle. Those who have to reach the airport 5-6 hours before departure are forced to crowd in front of the counters to give samples and obtain the results between 12am and 5am for early morning flights. There are no Airports Authority of India (AAI) staff or Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel to regulate things. Online registration can be done, but the queue system is inefficient, say passengers. Arun B, who recently travelled to Dubai, said he had to wait for almost half an hour to collect a form for the rapid test. “People have to fill it up, stand in a queue to make payment and then go into another queue to give samples and then hang around for announcements to collect the report. The announcements are not clear, making people crowd around closer to listen.”

The payment of Rs 3,400 should be made online to save time, he said. “People are sometimes told to come back later after they reach the counter because they would have reached too early and some other passenger had to be given priority due to early flight timings. The worst part is the form filled manually has to be filled again online.” The entire purpose of the tests is defeated as it makes it a place to spread Covid, Arun added.

Basheer Ahmed of Chennai Metro Travels said the process is not done professionally. “There is an option to pay online but it is not easy. We have got inputs from passengers saying they had to go too early for the tests because of the crowd. There are around four flights early in the morning.” An AAI official promised to streamline the procedure and make it online. “Crowd control measures will be adopted. The test for arriving passengers too will be expanded to provide space because the number of flights has increased.”