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Last Updated – October 2020

The Indian travel sector has slowly re-invented itself to the new normal. From immunity insurances to contactless travel to open-dated accommodation packages, the Indian tourism industry is taking baby steps to breathe into the new life. Travellers have already started planning their next vacation and trying to remain up to date with the upcoming travel news and guidelines.

Are you planning to travel to Rajasthan? Read on to know more about the latest quarantine rules and COVID-19 testing guidelines in Rajasthan.

Rajasthan quarantine rules

Both domestic as well as international passengers arriving at any of the airports in Rajasthan will be thermally screened. If found symptomatic, they will have to get tested for COVID-19 at their own expense.

Domestic passengers

With the commercial domestic aviation services restarting in the country, any person from an Indian state can enter Rajasthan.

The Department of Home, Government of Rajasthan released new re-opening guidelines in Rajasthan that would be valid for the period from October 1. The guidelines state that there shall be no restriction on inter-state and within state movement of persons and goods.

The Central Government of India also stated that no separate permission, approval and e-permit will be required for such movement of persons and goods for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.

The Rajasthan State Government has advised all domestic passengers arriving at the airports in Rajasthan to undergo 14 days of voluntary home quarantine.

International passengers

According to the Bureau of Migration, all international passengers travelling to Rajasthan must mandatorily fill an online self-declaration form at least 72 hours prior to their departure to India. On arrival all passengers are mandated to undergo quarantine for 14 days that includes 7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by seven days of isolation at home/ suitable accommodation with self-monitoring of health.

For compelling reasons or cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in the family, severe illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days (i.e. No institutional quarantine).

Travellers may also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report on arrival. This test should have been conducted within 96 hrs prior to undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration.

A few hotels in Rajasthan are providing paid institutional quarantine facilities for domestic and international travellers. Readers are advised to check with the hotel authority regarding the facilities’ current status to quarantine travellers.

COVID-19 testing facilities and guidelines in Rajasthan

As sanctioned by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), coronavirus tests in Rajasthan are of the following types: Real-time RT PCR tests, Antigen tests, and TrueNat tests.

Along with government medical centres, numerous private labs have been set up following ICMR guidelines to meet the COVID-19 testing demands in Rajasthan. You can find a list of government and private labs in Rajasthan from where you can get a COVID test report here. There are an estimated 21 government hospitals/laboratories and 3 private ones in the state of Rajasthan doing COVID-19 testing using various diagnostic modalities.

Rajasthan government issued new guidelines directing COVID-19 testing of more samples in the areas of the state with high positivity rate. Additionally, samples will be reviewed in the areas of Rajasthan where the positivity rate is low.

The guidelines state samples of the following categories of people should be prioritized for the test:

• People who have undertaken international travel in the last 14 days and have symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI);
• Contacts of positive cases who have ILI;
• All health and front line workers engaged in Covid-19 care and have ILI;
• People who have symptoms of SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection);
• Close contacts of positive cases who are asymptomatic;
• People with ILI in hot spots and containment zones;
• All indoor patients with ILI or with co-morbid conditions or belonging to the risk group;
• People who travelled in from outside and have ILI;
• Health and other workers who are in close contacts of patients;
• All indoor patients in medical institutions.

The guidelines also talk about the random sampling of four categories of people. These are:

• Super spreaders such as domestic help, fruit and vegetable vendors, grocery stores, hairdressers, beauty parlours, saloons and iron men;
• Vulnerable groups (people above 60 years, those with chronic illness, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, chronic lung disease) in congested areas;
• People in areas where large assemblies occur such as temples, bus stands, airports, public transport, banks and other financial institutions; and
• Corona warriors and health care workers in government and private hospitals with high patient load.

What do you need to know and prepare before getting tested?

You should get tested for COVID-19 if you have one or more of the following clinical symptoms for a prolonged duration: fever, difficulty in breathing, cough, sore throat, running nose, loss of taste or smell, and body pain. It would take anywhere between 3 hours to 2 days for the test results to arrive. Until then, you must isolate yourself to prevent the spread of infection.

Make sure to call on the toll-free number 1075 or central helpline number +91-11-23978046 for information before going to get tested. In Rajasthan, you may also call 0141-2225624, the state helpline number for COVID-19.

For an RT-PCR COVID-19 test you will likely be charged INR 1,200 in Rajasthan.

Please carry your government ID card (Aadhar card/ Passport/ Voter ID) and proof of your address when you proceed to get tested at any of the laboratories/ hospitals.