Tourism ministry launches toll-free weather number

NEW DELHI: Is Delhi going to be scorching hot for a day out? Will it be safe to sail the waters in Andaman? Is there a possibility of getting stranded due to heavy snowfall in Kashmir?

These are the kinds of questions that cross the minds of tourists.

Now, thanks to an initiative by the

Ministry

of

Tourism

, the answers are just a

phone

call away. Interactive voice response to

weather

forecasts can now be obtained by dialing 1800 180 1717 (

toll free

).



After extending e-Visa facility to citizens of several countries, this is yet another initiative by the government to boost tourism.

The number of travellers availing e-Visa jumped 3.5 folds from last year (till August), according to data available with the ministry.

During January-August this year, a total of 6,06,493 tourist arrived on e-tourist visa as compared to 1,69,976 during the corresponding period last year. The facilty is currently available to citizens from about 150 countries, at 16 airports across India.

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