By IANS,
Chandigarh : Paying a visit to Chandigarh but worried about safety? You don’t speak the local language and are uncertain how you’ll find your way around? Well, take heart. The Chandigarh administration is all set to launch a special tourism police on World Tourism Day Sep 27 to strengthen the security cover for tourists.
“Chandigarh Tourism Police will be launched at Sukhna Lake. We selected 100 police personnel for the tourism police and imparted training in four batches of 25 each,” said a spokesperson of the department of tourism, Chandigarh.
“The foremost objective of the administration behind the launch of the tourism police is to promote safe tourism in the city beautiful. These police personnel will be deputed at various tourist interest sites like Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden and the government museum,” Vivek Atray, director of tourism, told IANS.
“There was a need for such a specialised force, as the city is fast becoming a preferred destination for tourists from all over the world. The tourism police personnel will wear the normal uniform of UT (Union Territory) police but they will also wear distinguishing arm bands that can be easily seen from a distance,” said Atray.
In 2007, over one million tourists visited Chandigarh.
Chandigarh Police has launched the tourism police twice earlier, but on both occasions the initiative failed to take off.
Members of the tourism police squad were trained at the Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management, sponsored by the tourism department.
Atray added: “They have been taught basics of English, French and Italian to enable them to interact with foreign tourists. Subjects like personal grooming, hygiene, motivation, leadership, stress management, tourism basics, city’s tourism action plan and social mannerism were also covered during the training programme.
“The tourism police will help tourists in getting easy transport and lodging at appropriate rates. They will also offer support at the railway station, airport, inter state bus terminals, multiplexes and from other prominent tourist destinations.
“The police will also help them in case of any emergency and will provide safety and security against unscrupulous people, beggars, molesters and thieves,” Atray said.
“Besides, the tourism police would also guide tourists about local law and order, security measures, places of medical help, on matters relating to passport, visas, residential permits, exchange of currency and on immigration issues.”