Port Blair, Feb 04: The Andaman Association of Tour Operators (AATO) has urged the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to increase the time limit for RT-PCR test before coming to A & N Islands to 72 hours from present 48 hours.
The Andaman and Nicobar Administration had earlier made it mandatory for all incoming passengers arriving at Veer Savarkar International Airport of Port Blair to mandatorily carry RT – PCR negative test report issued from an ICMR recognized lab, from 26th December, 2020 onwards.
As per the new guideline, the RT – PCR test should have been taken by every incoming passenger within 48 hours prior to commencement of the journey.
Since December 26, 2020 it has been noted that several passengers including tourists are missing flightS to Andaman as by the time they reach Airport with ICMR RT-PCR test results, the 48 hours limit window gets over.
This is not only causes inconvenience to tourists but also causing huge loss to Andaman’s Tourism Industry.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary of Andaman’s Tourism Department and copy was which was sent to Andaman Sheekha, Mr. M Vinod the President of Andaman Association of Tour Operators today demanded that this time limit must be increased to 72 hours from existing 48 hours.
“This will hand sufficient time frame to passengers coming via connecting flights from cities not directly connected to Port Blair via air and it would augment the influx of tourists to the islands which is the need of the hour,” added Mr. M Vinod.
The Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry had also reportedly put similar demands in recent past to help revival of Andaman’s Tourism Industry.
