'Tourist Police' to soon make Mysuru safer for travelers
It may soon become safer to visit Mysuru, as the heritage city is set to have 'Tourist Police' to especially assist travelers. Keeping in mind the increasing number of tourists visiting Mysuru and the rise in crimes against them, Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy on Friday suggested the creation of a special unit within the local police to exclusively address grievances of visitors.
Millions of travelers visit Mysuru every year, especially during Dasara to see its famed celebrations. About 3.5 million people visit the Mysuru Palace annually. The yearly footfall at Mysuru zoo is over 3 million. Other important tourist attractions include Chamundi Hills and Mysuru's beautiful temples.
The idea of a police unit dedicated to tourists is not new. Previously, Mysuru's police department had decided to have a special police unit for visitors and have them distinguished through slightly changed uniforms and a 'Tourist Police' badge. However, the plan was never implemented as the tourism department launched Tourist Mitra instead, which deployed trained home guards at 13 districts including Mysuru.
Though there is no proposal pending for creating a unit within police force especially for the safety of tourists, Mysuru police commissioner AS Rao said the home minister's intervention might set the ball rolling this time.
