NEW DELHI: Foreign travellers to India arriving on e-tourist visa are likely to get a SIM card from September-end, with the Home Ministry giving its nod and roping in state-run BSNL for the purpose.
“We had a number of meetings with the Home Ministry with regard to providing SIM card to foreigner tourists when they land in India. The ministry has finally agreed to our proposal. Now, it will take some time to start the facility,” Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said.
The move is aimed at projecting India as a global tourist destination among foreign travellers as well as addressing the security concerns by equipping the tourists with mobile phones to make calls in case of any distress, an official said.
Foreign tourists face problems while procuring a SIM card, making them dependent on telephone booths. The facility would address this concern as well, he said.
The SIM card, preloaded with talktime amount, will come with a ‘welcome kit’ which would also consist of ‘dos and don’ts list’, maps, tourism booklets with information about various tourist destinations and details of whom to contact in case of emergency, the official said.
However, according to a source, the amount of money to be loaded in the SIM card it is yet to decided. (AGENCIES)
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