Dr. Avnish Jolly, Chandigarh, 27th September, 2008 :On World Tourism Day, Chandigarh Tourism Department and Chandigarh Police aiming at the security and safety of the residents and tourists of the city beautiful, launched Tourism Police on the occasion of World Tourism Day. UT IG Police, Mr. S. K. Jain launched the Tourism Police Squad at Sukhna Lake today.
The Tourism police will help tourists in getting transport and lodging at appropriate rate and without much hassles at Railway Station, Airports Bus Terminals, important tourist places, malls etc. and provide safety and security against cheats and bag lifters etc. at these places. They would further help containing crime like pick pocketing, eve-teasing, molestation, drugging etc. They would also help tourists in procuring tickets for museums, resorts, transports, movies etc. and will ensure that no peddlers, jewelers, shopkeepers, touts, cheats and beggars etc. harass them.
Mr. S. K. Jain said that the Chandigarh Police is committed for delivering its quality services to the residents of the city. He averred that the endeavor of the Chandigarh Police is too become the best in the country and transform the negative image that general public have for Police personnel into positives one by rendering better services with polite behavior.
Mr. Jain gave arm bands to Sub Inspector Lakhwir Singh, ASI Nirmal Singh, Head Constable Asha Singh, Constable Malkit Singh, Lady constable Gaganpreet and Home Guard Volunteer Yashpreet Singh at the function. He also distributed certificates to the five police personnel including SI Sanjeev Kumar, SI Uday Pal, SI Jaspal Singh, SI Chiranji Lal and SI Ram Ratan Singh for successfully completing the training.
On the occasion Director Tourism, Mr. Vivek Atray said that the police personnel under this squad will help and facilitate tourists and visitors in the city. He further expressed gratitude to the Chandigarh Police for extending its support in forming this squad. He also congratulated the police personnel who are part of this Tourism Squad.
The training programme for this tourism squad was conducted at Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management recently. The training programme was sponsored by the Department of Tourism, Chandigarh Administration. A total of 100 Police personnel were trained during the programme in four batches of 25 each. Tourism Police personnel were imparted professional training by the faculty members of Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management (CIHM) and Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management and Nutrition, Chandigarh.
The major objective of the Administration behind the launching of the Tourism Police is to promote safe tourism in the City Beautiful. The Tourism Police personnel will have special arm bands and will be deputed at places of tourist interest in the city, added Mr. Atray.
Tourism Police would also guide tourists on local conditions of law and order, security and hazards and places of medical help and will guide them on matters relating to passport, visas, residential permits exchange of currency and on immigration issues.
DIG Operation and Training, Mr. Mahavir Singh, SSP, Mr. S.S. Srivastava, MD, CITCO, Ms. Niharika Rai and other senior officials of the Chandigarh Police were present on the occasion.