New Delhi: Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on Saturday launched the country’s first airport COVID-19 Testing Facility at Indira Gandhi International Airport. This facility will be for travelers coming from abroad.
It is estimated that by mid-September 2,500 samples will be taken every day at this facility. The capacity will be increased to 15,000 samples per day if needed.
DIAL has also introduced had COVID-19 testing facility at multilevel carparking in Terminal 3. DIAL has developed this testing facility in association with the Genstrings Diagnostic Center to test passengers arriving from abroad before taking connecting domestic flights.
What will be the cost of a test?
Dr. Rajat Arora, director of Genstrings Diagnosting Center said, ‘We have prepared the lab to handle 2,500 samples every day initially. We are working on increasing its capacity to 15,000 samples per day. This facility is built in an area of 3,500 square feet. Passengers will have to pay Rs 2,400 for a test prescribed by the Delhi government’.
Arora said that DIAL and GMR management is working closely with the Ministry of Health to prepare SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), so lab operations can be started by mid-September. Under the leadership of the GMR Group, Dial is the only one to oversee and operate the Delhi International Airport.
Lab testing at the facility itself
Arora said that compared to the facilities provided for testing at international airports globally, we will be giving two different and new facilities. Firstly, we are not just building a sample collection center but also the testing facility, which has been prepared at the airport itself.
Secondly the report will be received within 6 hours of collecting the sample. This will be the fastest RT-PCR testing in the world. Passengers will also be given the facility of online booking and payment so that they also get convenience and there is no risk of spreading infection.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation stated that the international passengers taking connecting flights after landing in India would be given the option of COVID-19 testing at airport entry. If the RT-PCR result is negative, then only the international passenger will be allowed to take the connecting domestic flight.