Tourists from 150 countries will get e-visas: Union minister

September 7, 2015

Bengaluru: Sep 7: India is committed to making it easier for tourists and has introduced several facilities for them, said Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Tourism and Culture.

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Tourists from 113 countries are being issued e-visas. Travellers from 37 more nations would be covered soon. Besides, tourists are being given welcome cards, he said at the inauguration of the 38th Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart, 2015, at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre here on Sunday. PATA is a not-for profit association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.

The government has also introduced a helpline, 1363, for tourists in Hindi and English. Tourists can call the helpline to lodge any complaint or grievance round-the-clock from anywhere in India. The helpline will soon be introduced in 12 more Indian languages.

Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, said that the national tourism policy would be unveiled soon, which was aimed at creating tourist facilities and fully using technology to improve the sector.

PATA Chairman Kevin Murphy spoke about a symposium held by the nonprofit at Christ University here on Friday, that was attended by young entrepreneurs. “We have had internal meetings with the Karnataka Tourism Department on how to strengthen destinations and iron out issues. An investment forum will also be held to strengthen economy. Through the buyer and seller meet, the aim is to ensure there is a lot of exchange for better economy.”

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah highlighted how Karnataka had seen a 300 per cent increase in the number of tourists in the last 10 years, from 24 million to 85 million. “We aim to put Karnataka in the list of top international destinations. This is the first technological and investment forum for the State and we want to ensure this helps boost economy,” he said.

The opening ceremony was a visual treat for 1,100 delegates from 61 countries who are attending the two-day conference.

With the theme of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (the guest is equivalent to God), the opening ceremony focused on Hampi, a Unesco world heritage site. From the musical pillars of Hampi to rhythms of India and all popular dance forms of the nation, the ceremony had a colourful presentation.

The grand Mysore Dasara Jumboo Savari was welcomed with an applause and standing ovation. It was led by Dollu Kunita, Yakshagana, Bha-ratanatyam, Odissi, Kathak, Manipuri and Kuchipudi artistes.

Also present on the occasion were ministers R V Deshpande, Ramalinga Reddy, K J George, legislators D K Suresh, S R Vishwanath and S Muniraju, Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism) Pradeep Singh Kharola and Tourism director G Satyavathi.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

•    Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

•    State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

•    Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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