Afghanistan evacuees to undergo 14-day quarantine at ITBP camp

New Delhi: All evacuees from Afghanistan will have to undergo mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine at Delhi’s ITBP Chhawla Camp, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

It said the Centre is undertaking emergency evacuation of people from Afghanistan to India and considering the nature of crisis, it has already allowed exemption from mandatory pre-boarding RT-PCTR testing (presently mandated for international travellers) for people who have been evacuated from the war-torn country.

“Coronavirus transmission (including circulation of variants) in Afghanistan is unclear at present, as a matter of abundant precaution, it has been decided that the arriving persons shall undergo a mandatory minimum 14 days institutional quarantine at Sector Headquarters Logistic and Communications, Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Chhawla Camp, Najafgarh Road, New Delhi,” the office memorandum dated August 23 said.

“The Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation shall intimate ITBP adequately in advance about the exact date and timing of these incoming flights along with the passenger manifest. The said information may also be provided to the Government of NCT of Delhi,” it said.

ITBP will make requisite arrangements for arranging transportation of passengers



from arrival airport to the Chhawla Camp, Najafgarh.

Any person testing positive or detected as symptomatic shall be shifted to identified Covid-19 dedicated Covid Care Centre or Covid hospital of NCT of Delhi, the memorandum stated.

All nodal agencies involved — MEA, MOCA, MHA, ITBP and Government of NCT of Delhi, NCDC — shall designate and communicate the name, designation and contact number of their nodal persons to each other and to the Ministry of Health, it added.

Two people out of the 146 passengers who landed in the national capital from Afghanistan on Monday were found positive for Covid-19,

Rajendra Kumar, Sub Divisional Magistrate said, “Two people coming from Afghanistan have been found Covid positive. They have been sent to LNJP Hospital.”

The second batch of 146 Indian nationals who were evacuated from Afghanistan via Doha arrived in Delhi on Monday on various flights, said the official.

India on Sunday brought back nearly 400 people including 329 of its nationals in three different flights.

Earlier, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that a total of 626 people including 228 Indian citizens have been evacuated from Afghanistan till now.