Despite repeated attempts, no tourism police operating in city

Even though the Amritsar Culture and Tourism Development Authority (ACTDA) Act categorically mentions that tourism police would be provided by the Department of Home Affairs — for providing safety, security and assisting to tourists — but none exist on the ground.

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After at least four attempts of setting up the tourism police, no cop wearing tourism police insignia is visible on the stretches around the heritage sites, including the Golden Temple.

Despite repeated introduction of tourism police, the Amritsar police commissionerate has failed to efficiently operate it. Its failure lies in the delay in the full-fledged introduction of the ACTDA Act that mandated it to handle the tourism police.

Amritsar Tourism Police is a saga of unsuccessful attempts stretched over the past two decades. Initially, 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. At that time, selected cops also underwent training to communicate with tourists in English as well as Hindi.

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

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

In 2023, an announcement was made that the municipal corporation (MC) would float a tender of Rs 10.31 crore for the tourism police but it did not materialise.

Experts state that the Act facilitating the setting up of the authority should allow it to earn from leasing the tourist sites, including Qila Gobindgarh, Sadda Punjab and others.

Hoteliers said the cases of fleecing tourists by e-rickshaws and autos are frequent and couple of incidents of mugging happen daily, which sully the image of the city.

DC Sakshi Sawhney said the matter was taken up with the Tourism Department, which would pave the way for revival of the tourism police.