Chennai: A draft copy of the standard operating procedure for receiving flights at the Chennai international airport has suggested a 14-day home quarantine for asymptomatic fliers, and institutional isolation for those without facilities for a home quarantine, according to a copy of the draft seen by CNN News 18.
The official Twitter Handle of the Coimbatore Police force had also put out the SOPs.
Tamil Nadu has mandated that passengers pre-register on the state's specific portal for travel and obtain and e-pass before boarding the flight. Passengers would be sent a travel permit with a QR Code which needs to be produced upon arrival at the airport. After a medical screening, those without symptoms need to home quarantine themselves for 14 days, while the regular operating procedure would apply for those displaying Covid-19 symptoms.
The state government has elaborately laid out the rules for screening and crowd handling staff at the airport.
"All domestic air travellers coming into Tamil Nadu shall register themselves in TNePass portal and (if asymptomatic) shall undergo 14-day home quarantine. All persons entering the state shall remain under home quarantine for 14 days from the date of arrival. However, if the individual does not have facilities for home quarantine, he will be sent to institutional quarantine. He should indicate the same in the TNePass portal," the draft stated.
Top sources in the government said this is a draft and a few more points will be added for arrivals. An official release on the status of resumption of air services is expected by evening, the source added.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had written to Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri requesting to avoid domestic flights into the state till May 31.
In the letter exclusively accessed by CNN News 18, EPS said: "If the domestic air services are resumed, then testing of such a large number of passengers daily on arrival will be a huge challenge. Further, all of them will have to be put on institutional quarantine till test results are obtained. With limited facilities for institutional quarantine, it is not possible to handle such a large number on a daily basis..."
However, the government did not get a response on its request till Saturday. Sources added that state cannot take a unilateral decision and said it is waiting for a word from the Centre.
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