Amid rise in Omicron cases, the demand to ban international flights got louder on Thursday after the Mamata Banerjee Government decided to ban all direct flights from the United Kingdom to Kolkata from January 3, 2022.
“…in view of the rising number of Omicron cases globally as well within the country, the State Government has decided to temporarily and until further orders suspend all direct flights from the United Kingdom to Kolkata with effect from January 3, 2022. Flights which is an at-risk country as notified by the Ministry of Health, will not be allowed in the State and any NOCs which have been issued stand withdrawn,” BP Gopalika, additional Chief Secretary, Wes Bengal said in a letter to Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, MoCA on Thursday.
Earlier, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stressed that the Centre must decide on imposing restrictions on flights from countries where Omicron cases are high. Bengal has reported 2,128 fresh Covid cases, 1,067 recoveries, and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours.
“With effect from January 3, 2022, all passengers coming from other non-at-risk countries by international flights to West Bengal will have to mandatorily undergo a test on arrival at their cost. The airlines will randomly select 10 per cent of the passengers for RT-PCR test and the balance 90 per cent shall undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) at the arrival airport. Those found positive in the RAT test will have to further undergo RT-PCR tests as may be required by the health authorities,” read the letter.
All passengers have to mandatorily pre-book the test before boarding to reduce waiting time on arrival, which the airlines must ensure prior to allowing the boarding. Accordingly, the airport authorities may be asked to augment the holding capacity of the arrival lounge on the international side and also increase the number of testing counters so as to reduce the waiting time for the passengers at the airport.
Till on Wednesday Bengal had recorded a total of 11 cases of the Omicron variant. “We have sent more than a thousand samples and out of which 107 were tested yesterday … out of that five more persons tested positive … this takes the total Omicron count to 11,” a Health Department official said.
Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police on Thursday said an additional posse 3,500 police personnel would be deployed at various points in Kolkata, particularly the historical Park Street area to keep a tab on the situation.
A Joint Commissioner of Kolkata Police on Thursday said, “The administration will strictly implement the corona protocol in the New Year enforcing social distancing … if anyone is seen without mask then appropriate legal measures would be taken.”
“The airlines may be requested to evenly space out the flight arrivals in NSCBI, Kolkata in consultation with the airport director and the State nodal officer so as to reduce waiting time,” read the letter.
In another development, the Goa Government said all international passengers, including those travelling from “non-high-risk” countries, will be tested for Covid-19 on their arrival at the coastal State’s lone airport. Earlier this month, the Delhi Government asked the Centre to stop international flights from those nations affected by Omicron.