City celebrates World Tourism Day

The Tourism Police aims to help tourists get transport and lodging at appropriate rates and without much hassle. The squad will be posted at the railway station, airport, bus terminals, important tourist places and malls to provide safety and security to residents and tourists.

They will also help contain crimes like pick-pocketing, eve-teasing, molestation and drugging besides helping tourists procure tickets for museums, resorts, transports, movies and ensuring that they are not harassed by peddlers, shopkeepers, touts, cheats and beggars.

Jain said the Chandigarh Police was committed to delivering quality service to the city. He said their endeavour was to become the best police in the country and transform the negative image the public had for police personnel by rendering better services with polite behaviour.

The IG gave arm bands to Sub-Inspector Lakhwir Singh, ASI Nirmal Singh, Head Constable Asha Singh, Constables Malkit Singh and Gaganpreet and Home Guard Volunteer Yashpreet Singh at the function. He also awarded certificates to five sub-inspectors — Sanjeev Kumar, Uday Pal, Jaspal Singh, Chiranji Lal and Ram Ratan Singh — for successfully completing the training.

Director Tourism Vivek Atray was also present on the occasion. The training programme, sponsored by the UT Department of Tourism, for the squad was conducted at the Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management recently. A total of 100 police personnel were trained in four batches of 25 each.

Tourism Police personnel were imparted professional training by the faculty of Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management and Dr Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management and Nutrition, Chandigarh.

The Tourism Police will also guide tourists on law and order, security and places of medical help, matters relating to passport, visa, residential permits, exchange of currency and immigration issues.

Visitors get a grand welcome

Free rides on the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus for underprivileged children, picnic for senior citizens, run for tourism and Morning Raga marked the World Tourism Day in Chandigarh on Saturday.

The day turned out to be lucky for a bunch of children of the construction and brick kiln labourers. They took a tour of the city in the Hop-on Hop-off bus to the Rock Garden, the lake and other tourist spots. And also had a lavish lunch with their tour organisers.

Passengers at the airport and the railway station were given a special welcome, with a musical programme by artistes from the North Zone Cultural Committee.

The celebrations started with Morning Raga by classical singer Subhash Ghosh and flautist Ustaad Muztaba Hussain Khan at the Sukhna Lake.

A Run for Tourism was also organised with the support of CITCO from Sukhna Lake to Rock Garden and back. Mayor Pardeep Chhabra flagged off the run, in which hundreds of students participated.

Students from Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sectors 8, 10, 22, 23, Government Model High School, Sectors 12, 20, Guru Nanak High School, Sector 30, and Moti Ram Arya School ran in the marathon.

Speaking on the occasion, Chhabra said: “Chandigarh is a big tourist attraction for Indians as well as foreigners and we should try to tap the market.

Sanjeev Kumar, a student of Government Model High School, Sector 12, said: “It is a good feeling to run with so many children. I have enjoyed a lot.”

“I ran in the marathon to show my affection for the city,” said Kiran of Government High School, Sector 7.

To mark the day, Fortis Hospital distributed 25 coupons titled Fortis Express to the international tourists for a complete cardiac check-up.

Citco organised a picnic at Kansal Forest for senior citizens of the Old Age Home. An international food festival got under way at Hotel Mountview. There were free rides on the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus throughout the day with a special trip for the underprivileged and slum children.

Vintage and Classic Car Club organised a display of vintage and classical cars at the Lake Club.

A photography exhibition was organised by the Progressive Photographers Group, in collaboration with the Chandigarh Tourism, with City Beautiful as its theme at the Punjab Kala Bhawan, Sector 16.

City Card for tourists, visitors

As part of the World Tourism Day celebrations, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator General S F Rodrigues (Retd) launched the Chandigarh City Card for tourists and visitors on Saturday. The card will give them free access to various tourist places in Chandigarh and also a discount at CITCO restaurants.

An innovative, first-of-its-kind venture in the country’s tourism sector, the cards worth Rs 100 will be available at the airport, railway station, bus stands and the Tourist Information Centre. Rodrigues presented City Cards to a few foreign tourists to mark the event.

Addressing the gathering at Hotel Mountview, he asked the Administration to form a team of experts to conduct a detailed study on focussing Chandigarh’s glorious past as a cradle for civilisation. He said Panjab University was already conducting a study on the Shivaliks.

“Besides implementing various plans to promote tourism in the region, we are in the process of setting up a mega theme-cum-amusement park and a multi-media-cum-film city. The theme park will highlight Indian culture and mythology while entertaining visitors and holding their interest in the history of the region. This project will place Chandigarh on the regional tourism map as it will be the first of its kind in the country. We are expecting at least half a million visitors annually,” he added.

Home Secretary Ram Niwas gave a blueprint of the efforts being made by the Administration for promotion of tourism.

He assured the Administrator of speedy implementation of the various projects undertaken to give a fillip to tourism and extending a hospitable and warm welcome to the tourists to make it a favourable destination.