JAKARTA (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Indonesia's largest airport, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, is providing special lanes for passengers travelling between Indonesia and Singapore as the two countries have agreed to establish a travel corridor to facilitate diplomatic missions and essential business trips.

The travel arrangement, called the reciprocal green lane (RGL), will come into effect next Monday (Oct 26).

"We have provided several checkpoints for passengers travelling the Indonesia-Singapore route within the RGL scheme," state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II director Muhammad Awaluddin said in a statement on Sunday (Oct 18).

He said the arrangement would adhere to strict Covid-19 health protocols.

Travellers using the special lanes will have to go through thermal scanners at terminals prior to stopping at a check-in counter, where they are required to show a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result that is valid for 72 hours.

They must then verify their health through the electronic health alert card (e-HAC) application before they are allowed to board the plane.

Meanwhile, for arriving travellers, Mr Awaluddin said that as soon as they reached the arrival terminal, they would have to pass check-in clearance through e-HAC, which they filled out upon departure.

They must then pass the immigration and Customs counters before reaching the PCR testing area.

If they test negative, they are allowed to continue their trip to Indonesia.

However, if the PCR test shows a positive result, the traveller would have to undergo quarantine.

Previously, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi said the travel corridor was limited to pressing diplomatic and business trips and did not cover tourism.

According to the ministry, Indonesian citizens seeking to enter Singapore via the corridor will be required to have official sponsors from Singaporean state agencies and enterprises, in addition to a safe travel pass.

Likewise, Singaporean nationals travelling to Indonesia will be required to have official sponsors from Indonesian state departments and business entities, in addition to a visa.

The agreement has established two routes for the travel corridor, one between Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Changi International Airport, and the other between the Batam Ferry Terminal and the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.

The two countries have agreed to certain procedures to ensure adherence to health protocols, Ms Retno said.

For instance, travellers are required to take two PCR tests - one within 72 hours before departure and one upon arriving at the airport or ferry terminal.

"The pre-departure test results are to be released by mutually recognised healthcare institutions," Ms Retno added.

The Indonesian government previously established travel corridors with the United Arab Emirates and South Korea to grant leeway to state departments and businesses from both countries, allowing them to reconnect and resume projects that were halted as a result of the pandemic while still complying with health rules.