THIRUVANANHAPURAM:
Kerala Tourism has launched an online platform that enables non-residents to book vehicles of tour operators to travel back to the state,ending the stalemate due to a national lockdown clamped seven weeks ago to fight COVID-19.
Keralites stranded in other parts of the country can submit enquiries to tour/transport operator through the department’s website www.keralatourism.org. The tour operator will get (by email) the NRK’s requirements and contact details. Simultaneously, the NRK will get the enquiry number and relevant information about the preferred travel company. The mutual interaction can help fix the trip and payment.
The traveller can then apply for necessary entry pass to travel to Kerala, using the vehicle details. “This would help the NRKs to get vehicles for their travel to the state,” said Rani George, Secretary, Kerala Tourism.
Already, the platform has facilitated 151 registrations by this weekend and registration of tour/transport operators is continuing. The number of vehicles available for the service is now 493, with an overall seating capacity of 5,897. The break-up goes thus: Swift (or equivalent) 53, Toyota Etios (or equivalent) 81, Ertiga or equivalent 37, Toyota Innova 112, Innova Crysta53, Winger/Tempo 28, Tempo Traveller (12+1 seater) 71 and buses 58.
