To provide security to tourists, the State Government has decided to open special tourist cells in eight police stations across the State.
A meeting held under chairmanship of Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Panda at the State Secretariat took a decision to this effect. Of the eight proposed cells, three would be opened at the Dhauli, Nandankanan and lingaraj police stations in Bhubaneswar and the rest would come up at the Puri Sea Beach, Chandrabhaga Sea Beach, Satapada, Gopalpur Beach and the Chandipur Beach police stations. Each cell will have 8 to 10 policemen including a Sub-Inspector and a Assistant Sub-Inspector. The tourist police, to be so called, will have a special dress code. They will solely work for the tourist’s safety. They will be provided special training for the purpose, sources said. Both the Home and the Tourism & Culture Departments will bear the expenditure for running of the cells.