Lok Sabha Question No. 756 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-12
Subject: Safety of Tourists
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Janardan Singh Sigriwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.756

## ANSWERED ON 12.12.2022

## SAFETY OF TOURISTS

## 756. SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  cognizance  that  security and  safety  measures  are  not  implemented/adopted  in  proper manner at many tourist points/places in various States;
- (b)
- if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the Government has issued/propose to issue any guidelines to the States in this regard;
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the corrective measures being taken by the Union Government to ensure that accidents like suspension bridge at Morbi do not take place in future at various tourist places in the country?

## ANSWER

(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM

- (a) to (e): Safety and security of tourists is essentially a State Government subject. However, Ministry of Tourism is well aware of the security concern of the tourists and has taken all possible measures to provide a safe and secure atmosphere for the tourists.
- ii. In the past, Ministry of Tourism has taken up the matter with all the State Govts/Union Territory(UT) Admins. and has reiterated the aspect of providing  a  safe  and  secure  environment  to  tourists.  In  case  any  such untoward  incident  occurs  against  a  tourist,  there  should  be  a  robust system of law & order to handle the situation and provide a satisfactory solution to the affected tourists.
- iii. With the efforts of Ministry of Tourism, the State Governments/UT Administrations  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  Delhi,  Goa,  Karnataka,  Kerala, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh,

Odisha,  Punjab,  Rajasthan,  Sikkim  and  Uttar  Pradesh  have  deployed tourist police in one form or the other.

iv. Ministry  of  Tourism  got  a  study  conducted  by  Indian  Institute  of Tourism  &  Travel  Management  (IITTM),  an  autonomous  institute  under its control, to understand the requirement of tourist police and sensitizing  the  tourist  police  so  created  towards  the  needs  of  the tourists. Ministry of Tourism forwarded a copy of this Study report titled 'Functioning  of  Tourist  Police  in  States/UTs  &  Documentation  of  Best Practices' to all the State Govts/UT Admn. with the request to crea te a separate unit of police in the respective States/UTs and also to sensitize them about the needs of the tourists.

v.            Ministry  of  Tourism has been seeking support of the Ministry of Home Affairs for taking up the matter with the State Governments.

vi.            To  develop  a  comprehensive  framework,  Bureau  of  Police Research  and  Development  (BPR&D)  commissioned  a  study  on  Tourist Police Scheme. Ministry of Tourism has organised a National Conference of DGs/IGs of Police Department of the State/UT Administration on 19th October,  2022  at  New  Delhi  to  implement  the  uniform  Tourist  Police Scheme at pan India level.

vii.          The  Ministry of Tourism has set up a 24x7 Multi-Lingual Tourist Info-Helpline on the toll free number 1800111363 or on a short code 1363 in 12 Languages including 10 international languages (German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic),  Hindi  English  for  domestic  and  foreign  tourists  to  provide support service in term of information relating to Travel in India and to offer appropriate guidance to tourists in distress while travelling in India.

viii.      The Ministry of Tourism along with all stakeholders, including the Tourism Departments of all States and UTs, have adopted the 'Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable Tourism' which is a set of guidelines to encourage  tourism  activities  to  be  undertaken  with  respect  for  basic right like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents in particular, women and children.

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