The suspension will start with effect from 23.59 hours on December 22, 2020.
Consequently, all flights from India to UK shall also stand temporarily suspended during the period, said a Ministry tweet.
Considering the prevailing situation in the UK, Indian govt has decided that all flights originating from the UK to India shall be temporarily suspended till 11:59 pm, 31st December. This suspension to start w.e.f. 11.59 pm, 22nd December, says Ministry of Civil Aviation.
"This suspension to start w.e.f. 23.59 hours, 22nd December 2020. Consequently flights from India to UK shall stand temporarily suspended during above said period," it said in another tweet.
This suspension to start w.e.f. 23.59 hours, 22nd December 2020. Consequently flights from India to UK shall stand temporarily suspended during above said period.
— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) December 21, 2020
"As a measure of abundant precaution, passengers arriving from UK in all transit flights (flights that have taken off or flights which are reaching India before 22nd Dec at 23.59 hrs) should be subject to mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival at the airports concerned," a tweet from the ministry read.
As a measure of abundant precaution, passengers arriving from UK in all transit flights (flights that have taken off or flights which are reaching India before 22nd Dec at 23.59 hrs) should be subject to mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival at the airports concerned.
— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) December 21, 2020
This comes as Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday reassured the people of the country that the Central government is alert about the new coronavirus strain emerging from the United Kingdom, adding that there is no need to panic.
"The government is alert. There is no need to panic," said Union Minister while addressing the curtain-raiser press conference on India International Science Festival 2020.
It added that as a measure of abundant precaution, passengers arriving from the UK in all transit flights should be subjected to mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival at the airports in India.
On December 19, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had announced that the newly-identified strain of the virus may be up to 70 per cent more transmissible. According to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, the new variant was "out of control".
India's bar on passenger flights follows similar steps by several European countries on Sunday.
