Viral photo: Scary crowd at Delhi airport after Omicron travel rules, Harsh Goenka says 'Covid hotspot'

Omicron variant in India: All passengers coming from "at-risk" countries have to compulsorily take RT-PCR test. (Image credit: Photo tweeted by @hvgoenka)

Flyers using the Delhi airport complained of huge crowds and utter chaos following the implementation of new travel guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. All passengers coming from "at-risk" countries have to compulsorily take RT-PCR test and five per cent of passengers arriving from other countries would also have to take the test on a random basis, according to the Union Health Ministry's guidelines issued last week.

Passengers complained of social distance norms not being followed.

“I personally had horrific experience - no social distancing, 2 people to take samples of 300 passengers, no separate queue for passengers taking connecting flight,” tweeted passenger Sunaina Sharma on Sunday, sharing a photo of the crowd at the Delhi airport.

pic.twitter.com/RSOL94xX08

— Sunaina Sharma (@khushi1512) December 5, 2021

Also, no social distance norms being followed because of the chaos and panic created. Everyone is concerned about checking in and clearing security to make it to the flight!

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— Devika Batra (@HipperChipper) December 1, 2021

Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Group, also shared a viral photo from Delhi airport, calling it a “Covid hotspot’.

Scenes yesterday at Delhi airport #Covid hotspot pic.twitter.com/SoM6RNumYO

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— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) December 5, 2021

“As I feared and warned. Total confusion & crowding in airports,” Congress MP Karti Chidambaram had tweeted, responding to the photo that is being widely shared.

As I feared & warned. Total confusion & crowding in airports. @mansukhmandviya @JM_Scindia https://t.co/rla4sjhhBZ

— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) December 4, 2021

Following complaints from passengers, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday directed Delhi airport authorities to implement better crowd management, news agency PTI quoted senior government officials as saying. The minister called a meeting with officials of the Airports Authority of India, Bureau of Immigration and GMR group-led Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), they said.

On Saturday, Delhi airport officials said 20 dedicated counters have been set up for the passengers arriving from "at risk" countries and having pre-booked their mandatory COVID-19 test.

21 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant have been reported in India till Monday.