Centre: engage ex-servicemen to protect tourists

The guidelines, which, the Centre has insisted, are advisory in nature, ask the state governments to recruit ex-servicemen with “decent” pay package and other allowances for such a force that can ensure the safety and security of tourists and act as a bridge between tourists, the district administration and police. While selecting the personnel for this force, which would function under the overall supervision of the tourism department of the state governments, the states have been directed to give preference to women.

The personnel should have appropriate educational qualifications, communication skills and tourist friendly attributes and traits, the guidelines say. The state governments have been asked to arm the force with appropriate powers under various Acts to make it effective, and prescribe special uniforms in order to distinguish the force from the police. The Union Tourism Ministry had mooted the idea of taking the services of retired Army personnel following a meeting in January in the wake of a number of attacks on foreign tourists, mainly women.

The ministry had pointed out that about 60,000 people retire from the armed forces every year, many of them from the short-service commission, at a very young age and this vast pool of disciplined and trained manpower could be very handy in preventing attacks on tourists.

The ministry has suggested that the creation of such a force would be in addition to a tourist police that exists in 10 states at present.

The guidelines suggest the state governments to deploy these forces at all important tourist spots, railway stations, bus stands and airports.

The personnel should also be entrusted with the responsibility of providing information to the tourists and respond to emergencies.

The state governments have also been urged to develop special training modules in consultation with the Union Tourism Ministry, which will provide the financial and technical assistance for the training. The guidelines ask the states to set up a short helpline number for tourists and publicise it prominently.