The Odisha government will soon open tourist cells at eight police stations to ensure safety of lakhs of travellers visiting the state.
"To ensure the safety and security of our tourists we are going to introduce Tourist Police Cells (TPCs) soon. Our Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has already sanctioned eight tourist police cells and they will shortly be operative," Odisha Minister of Tourism and Culture Ashok Chandra Panda told reporters here today.
Panda was speaking on the sidelines of a programme organised by the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) which would hold its 50th Annual Convention in September in Bhubaneswar.
"The eight TCPs will be at Puri Sea Beach, Chandrabhaga, Satapada, Shree Lingaraj, Nandanakanan, Dhauli, Gopalpur and Chandipur police stations," he said.
"These police personnel will be over and above the prescribed strength of the police station. They will be sensitised as per the requirement of the police. And they will have a separate dress code," Panda said, adding, NIFT Bhubaneswar has been asked to design the dress for the police of the TPCs.
"Each TPC will have one SI, one ASI and eight constables. But their job will not be typical policing," he said.
On Odisha's future plans for the tourism sector the minister said the state under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project was developing a master plan to develop its coastal and marine resources.
"We are trying to take it to the next higher level. We are developing a master plan under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project. We are developing the Chilka particularly for the adventure sports besides we are also focussing on the surfing festival, island hopping (in Chilka many islands are there) as well as water skiing.
"As soon as we get the master plan, I think it will take another three to four months to put it into action," he said.
"We are shifting our focus to southern and western parts of the state which are lesser known areas. We have lot of plan besides developing our eco-tourism, adventure sports," he said.
