Goa's tourism department has written to Union Home ministry to extend visas of few of the tourists even as around 1,500 Europeans are estimated to be stranded in the tourist state.
"Nearly 150 tourists were in touch with me. They were apprehensive that the police might arrest them for staying in the state with expired visa. We have written to ministry of home affairs to extend their visas," State Tourism director Swapnil Naik said this morning.
He said that the communication is also made to state police department informing them about the situation prevailing due to cancellation of flights to European destinations.
"State police have no powers to extend visas but we have kept them informed. There are many who were about to leave the state when air traffic ceased," Naik said.
Goa receives around 4 lakh foreign tourist and current days mark the winding up of the official tourist season with travellers packing their bags to go back to their homes.
State airport authorities said that the situation has started easing since Tuesday with first flight to Scotland leaving the state last evening.
"A boeing 767 chartered flight left for Scotland from Goa at 7 pm carrying 259 passengers," an airport source said.
Comments