Patnaik seeks e-Visa facility at Odisha airport

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday requested Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for introduction of e-Visa facility at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here to facilitate the travel of arriving tourists.

"I am happy to convey to you that we have established international air connectivity recently with Air Asia starting its operations between Bhubaneswar and Kuala Lumpur," said Patnaik.

"We had entered into an MoU with Air Asia in which the state government is providing viability gap funding for the international carrier for its operations from Bhubaneswar," he added.

Patnaik said there has been an extremely good response to this international connectivity with the Indian citizens travelling abroad through Bhubaneswar.

"Besides, a sizeable number of foreign arrivals have also been noticed," Patnaik said in a letter to the Home Minister.

"In order to facilitate the travel of arriving tourists, it is requested that e-Visa facility may be introduced for Bhubaneswar airport for the citizens of the eligible nations which would encourage people from the countries connected by the recently launched international connectivity and boost tourist footfalls to Odisha," he added.

--IANS

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