Chennai airport yet to test flyers from Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat

CHENNAI: Passengers arriving from Delhi, Maharashtra and Gujarat are yet to be tested at Chennai airport though the state government had announced around 10 days ago that all passengers from these states will be checked for Covid-19.
With five direct flights from Delhi every day, about 500 passengers are going unmonitored daily at Chennai airport. The numbers could be more as passengers from Mumbai and cities in Gujarat may be arriving via Bengaluru or Hyderabad as there are no direct flights.
In Chennai airport, domestic passengers are taken to a medical center and are tested only if they show symptoms. This alone has led to detection of 18 cases till June 10. However, passengers who arrive on relief flights from abroad are all tested at the airport.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) started began discussing ways to isolate and screen passengers from Delhi soon after the government’s announcement. “Of the three states, there are direct flights only from Delhi. It may be difficult to test all these passengers because it may slow down movement of people who reach from other destinations. The airport handles at least 1,500 arrivals a day. The state government should decide when to start,” said an official.