GUWAHATI: Air passengers visiting Assam who will depart from the state within 72 hours of his arrival will not have to undergo quarantine provided his Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) result at the airport is negative, an order issued by the state government said on Monday.

The new directive issued by the state government on Monday stated that the arriving air passengers will be allowed to return from the state’s territory in 72 hours without being quarantined. Earlier, this window period was only for a day and that, too, without night halt.

The order issued by the principal secretary of the state health department, Samir K Sinha, says any air passenger who departs from Assam within 72 hours of arrival won’t have to undergo quarantine if he or she provides a copy of return ticket, indicating departure within the stipulated period. “The visitor shall provide swab sample for Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) immediately on arrival. If the test result is negative, he/she shall be allowed to proceed. If the test result is positive, he/she shall have to undergo isolation/treatment as per the protocol for Covid patients,” read the order.

It further stated that in case of symptomatic visitors coming to the state by air, they will have to undergo RT-PCR testing as well even if RAT results are negative. Such symptomatic visitors will have to remain in isolation till their RT-PCR test result comes.

An Airports Authority of India source said, “The 72-hour timeframe given by the Assam government is likely to enhance commercial activities, business meetings or official trainings. It will increase the flow of passengers from other states as they can stay in the state for a day or two, have their urgent works done and return. It will be a boost to the aviation industry as well.”