NEW COVID-19 test rules imposed by the Indian government are posing a huge financial burden on its citizens travelling home.
As per the rule effective since yesterday, all international passengers arriving in India must carry a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Covid-19 negative test report taken less than 72 hours before boarding the flight.
They also have to undergo a similar paid test at the airport upon landing there.
An Indian passenger has to set aside around BD90 for PCR tests alone, if he is planning a short trip to his home country and back – which adds up to BD360 for a four-member family.
While a PCR test for travel in Bahrain costs a minimum of BD25, passengers have to shell out an amount equivalent to around BD15 for test at the home airport.
Similarly upon return, certain airlines insist on a negative PCR test report. Passengers also have to undergo three such mandatory tests upon arrival in Bahrain, costing BD36 in total.
Mounting expenses have prompted Bahrain’s community leaders to issue an appeal to Indian authorities: They are requesting free PCR tests for citizens upon arrival at their home port.
Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam president P V Radhakrishna Pillai urged both state (especially Kerala) and central governments in India to reach an apolitical agreement on reducing the financial burden on expatriates.
“Bahrain government is giving free Covid-19 treatment and vaccines to all of us and we can’t ask for more.
“We request authorities back home to offer free Covid-19 tests on arrival.
“Airlines are charging exorbitantly and it is unfair to penalise expats during these tough times.”
He also said expats from the Middle East who have a vaccination certificate must be exempted from quarantine upon arrival in India.
“I have submitted two memorandums on these subjects to Non-Resident Keralites (Norka) Association and we hope to get a favourable response.”
The new stringent pre-travel protocols follow the British Covid-19 variant outbreak.
World NRI Council Humanitarian Aid (Middle East) director Sudheer Thirunilath, in a letter to Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar – a copy of which has also been sent to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan – appealed for three measures. He urged to exempt children from PCR tests, provide free tests on arrival for expats from the Middle East and to lift mandatory quarantine for those inoculated.
“Most travellers from the Middle East, especially from Bahrain, have already taken two doses of Covid-19 vaccinations. We request the government to exempt such passengers from quarantine,” he said.
“We also request for relaxing payments on PCR tests as it is a huge financial burden, especially for families.”
Bahrain offers four options of free Covid-19 vaccines to its people – Sinopharm, Pfizer-BioNTech, Covishield-AstraZeneca and Sputnik V.
The new rule in India coincides with similar measures in Bahrain in the wake of the new variant, with the country endorsing three tests for arriving passengers in 10 days, with effect from yesterday.
“We are not saying no to rules put in place to safeguard the country,” said Kerala Pravasi (expat) Commission member Subair Kannur.
“But it is a humble request to the Indian government to be considerate to expats.
“Most of the people travelling now are not going on a vacation, but mostly to attend to emergencies like deaths or medical treatment.
“And many of them are in a financially dire situation.”
Indian Community Relief Fund chairman Aruldas Thomas echoed similar views.
“I would not say that we don’t need the PCR test on arrival but yes, the financial burden is a bit too much – especially when people are struggling to buy tickets.”
Meanwhile, some passengers claimed a lot of uncertainties over regulations.
“There is no clarity, we heard that some are exempted from quarantine, some aren’t, even if they are on emergency and short trip,” said an Indian passenger.
“It varies from airport to airport, and person to person, which is unfair and confusing.”
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