Amritsar MC floats tender to aid tourist police project

Tribune News Service

Neeraj Bagga

Amritsar, November 27

The concept of tourist police for the holy city may finally see light at the end of the tunnel after several failed attempts that have stretched over past two decades. For the first time, the project will get monetary assistance after the Municipal Corporation (MC) floated a Rs 10.31 crore tender for realising a long pending demand of stakeholders in the hospitality industry.

Earlier, at least four attempts to set up the tourism police had failed. It was launched with much fanfare during the tenure of then Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in 2002-2003. During the tenure of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, it was re-launched in 2008-2009.

The Amritsar Police Commissionerate had launched the project in 2014 following international norms and policemen underwent training to communicate with tourists in English as well as in Hindi.

The tourism wing of the police was once again inaugurated by the then Police Commissioner Sukhchain Singh Gill on October 31, 2019. An inspector rank official was to head the police team comprising around 20 cops, including women. Over 70 personnel were trained for the purpose and the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) hired officials of the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Delhi, to train them in soft skills.

All the aforementioned attempts failed exposing the administrative acumen of the government and its different departments.

Harbhajan Singh, a spokesperson of the SGPC, said a record number of tourists from around the world and across the country come to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. They need official assistance on the Heritage Street which leads to Jallianwala Bagh and the Golden Temple. The tourist police would act as a bridge between visitors, police and the administration to facilitate them in case they face problems during their stay here. The dedicated force would work for the safety and security of the tourists and provide them with necessary information.

Gurinder Singh, a tourism guide, said tourist cops wearing a distinct uniform with a logo for their easy visibility, should be deployed outside railway station, ISBT and airport.

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