UK traveller alleges scam in COVID testing in Mumbai airport

Mumbai: A traveller from the United Kingdom, landed in Mumbai and tested Covid-19 positive at the airport, got infuriated and took to Facebook Live alleging that the airport quarantine protocol is a scam to rob travellers, NDTV reported.

The Indian-origin UK citizen, Manoj Ladwa, said that when he asked for a second test to confirm the positive result in Mumbai but got refused and was asked to move into a government-run quarantine facility. He had tested before boarding the flight and had a negative result, he said. He was in India to attend his father-in-law's funeral but missed it because of being quarantined.

More people were seen in his video who were tested positive after arrival, and some were seen arguing with authorities for another test to confirm their results. He asked how the airlines could allow 15 Covid positive people to travel.

Ladwa claimed he took a lateral flow test at Mumbai and was sure that he tested negative, but authorities gave him a positive result instead, to get more money from him and the others who had a similar fate. He added the authorities denied him an independent test and stalled him at the airport for four hours.

Then he alleged that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials threatened those who protested that they would be charged for offences if they did not comply with the protocols and moved to a quarantine centre.

Mumbai airport's official website states the Covid test results might take 8 hours to arrive, and only passengers who tested negative could leave the airport. While regular test costs Rs 500, Rapid RT-PCR test costs Rs 1975. The latter will provide results within 1 to 2 hours, the site says.