NRI Pulse Staff Report
Atlanta, GA, April 13, 2020: India on Monday extended on gratis basis the regular and e-visa of foreign nationals who are stranded in India due to the coronavirus lockdown till April 30, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.
India’s Ministry of Tourism has also launched a portal, Stranded in India, to help foreign tourists stuck in different parts of the country during the lockdown, and help evacuate them to their respective country.
The website www.strandedinindia.com dispenses
information regarding services that will be useful to foreigners stranded in
the country.
“The world is facing an unprecedented situation today. The Ministry
of Tourism is with you in these difficult times. We are truly committed towards
the safety of one and all. If you are a foreign traveler stranded anywhere in
India due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we can help you get in touch with the
concerned authorities,” the website states.
The Ministry of External Affairs has established a 24X7 helpline for coordination on COVID-19. For any information, please contact the following:
Control Room: 1800118797 (toll free), +91-11-23012113,+91-11-
23014104, and +91-11-23017905
Fax number – +91-11-23018158
email : covid19@mea.gov.in
In addition to the above helplines, the website lists the contact information of officers who are available to provide assistance for the respective geographical areas:
Officers who will support tourists from USA/Canada include 1. Dr. Rakesh Pandey, DS (AMS) 2. Mr. Atheeth Sajeevan, IFS(OT) 3. Ms. Avantika Singh, IFS(OT). They can be reached at 23015447 M: 7907845720.