Demonetisation: Foreign missions seek cash relief for pilgrims, tourists

New Delhi: Diplomatic missions have requested the Centre to ease restrictions on cash withdrawal for foreigners, including those on pilgrimage, and allow use of credit cards at monuments. “After the demonetisation, we got several distress calls from our nationals stuck in places like Bodh Gaya… We wrote to the MEA, which said it was looking into it,” a top Sri Lankan High Commission official said.

An estimated 300,000 Sri Lankan tourists visit India annually, with nearly 200,000 of them coming on pilgrimage.

Deploring that a lot of foreigners were facing problems due to demonetisation, Frank Hans Dannenberg Castellanos, dean of diplomatic corps, said he has raised the issue with the ministry and has urged it to ensure there are enough ATMs at and around tourist spots.