Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Cases can take months, even several years, to appear before a court while the accused may have to wait in prison.
There's also usually a hefty monetary fine on top of any custodial sentence.
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Be aware that travellers have been targeted in sting operations in Goa and other backpacker enclaves.
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Marijuana grows wild in various parts of India, but consuming it is still an offence, except in towns where bhang is
legally sold for religious rituals.
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Police are getting particularly tough on foreigners who use drugs, so you should take this risk very seriously.
Police
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You should always carry your passport; police are entitled to ask you for identification at any time.
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It is illegal to pay a bribe in India. Many people deal with an on-the-spot fine by just paying it to avoid trumped-up
charges. Corruption is rife so the less you have to do with local police the better; try to avoid all potentially risky situ-
ations.
Maps
Maps available inside India are of variable quality. Throughout India, most state-government tourist offices stock basic
local maps. These are some of the better map series, which are available at good bookshops.
Eicher
(
http://maps.eicherworld.com
/)
Nelles
(
www.nelles-verlag.de
)
Nest & Wings
(
www.nestwings.in
)
Survey of India
(
www.surveyofindia.gov.in
)
TTK
(
www.ttkmaps.com
)
Money
The Indian rupee (?) is divided into 100 paise (p), but paise coins are becoming increasingly rare. Coins come in denom-
inations of 1, 2, 5 and 10 (the 1s and 2s look almost identical); notes come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 (the last is
handy for paying large bills but can pose problems when getting change for small services). The Indian rupee is linked
to a basket of currencies and has been subject to fluctuations in recent years.
ATMs
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ATMs are found in most urban centres.
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Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus, Maestro and Plus are the most commonly accepted cards.
»
ATMs at the following banks recognise foreign cards: Axis Bank, Citibank, HDFC, HSBC, ICICI and the State Bank
of India. Other banks may accept major cards (Visa, MasterCard etc) but not necessarily all types of cards.
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Before your trip, check whether your card can reliably access banking networks in India and ask for details of charges.
