Indian Railways passengers travelling to Goa, take a note! RT-PCR COVID-19 Negative Test reports have been made mandatory to enter the state. The Railway Ministry notified for the information of the general public that as per Goa state DC order, travellers bound to the state of Goa i.e., Kulem, Sanverdam Church, Madgaon, Vasco Da Gama as well as other stations in Goa, should carry RT-PCR COVID-19 Negative Test reports with them, with test done within 72 hours of entry in the state or full (two vaccine doses) vaccination certificate. However, according to Northern Railways, the following categories of people have been exempted from the above requirement:
- Residents of Goa on production of their proof of residence
- Person entering the state of Goa for work purpose on production of their work ID / proof / letter from employer
- Person entering the state of Goa for medical emergency, on production of proof or coming in ambulance
Recently, passengers have been requested by the Railway Ministry to update themselves with the latest COVID-19 guidelines issued by different state governments before commencing their train journey. The railway travellers have been urged to update themselves with state-issued pandemic protocols before travelling as every state has their own specific sets of covid guidelines. According to the Railway Ministry, this step has been taken to prevent confusion and hardships for passengers.
Last week, the state of West Bengal made it mandatory for passengers arriving in the state by train to have their covid negative RT-PCR reports. West Bengal government’s Chief Secretary had issued an order, stating that incoming passengers by inter-state buses and long distance trains must carry their negative test reports of COVID-19. The WB state, which was recently in election mode with the Assembly poll results being announced earlier this month on 2 May 2021, has reported a huge surge in novel coronavirus cases in the last few days.