AP boosts tourism security, YS Jagan virtually launches tourist police stations

AMARAVATI: Giving a boost to tourism security in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy inaugurated Tourist Police Stations at 20 important religious and tourist places in various districts.

Launching the police stations virtually from the Camp Office here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said that the security kiosks would work as additional police stations and attend to complaints from tourists.

He said that the Tourist Police Stations would be run by specially trained police personnel and headed by an officer of either a Sub-Inspector or Assistant Sub-Inspector rank. Linked with local police stations, each Tourist Police Station would have six police personnel including women constables.

Interacting with the police officials virtually on the occasion, he suggested that the contact phone number of the responsible police officials should be prominently displayed at all Tourist Police Stations. He hoped that the enhanced tourism security would help boost up the traffic of tourists in the State.

YS Jagan said that several reforms were introduced in the Police Department after YSRCP came to power and the downloading of Disha App by about 1.2 crore women indicated the extent of support being extended to womenfolk in the State by the police.

Unlike in the TDP rule, police services are now available to people through village and ward secretariats and the Government has also introduced zero-FIR system in police stations where receptionists will talk to the complainants first, he said.

The newly launched Tourist Police Stations will be operational at the RK Beach in Visakhapatnam, Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy temple in Vontimitta of YSR district, Kukkuteswara Swamy temple at Pithapuram in Kakinada district, Pushkar Ghat in Rajahmundry, Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Dwaraka Tirumala in Eluru district, Manginapudi Beach and Mopidevi Temple in Krishna district, Indrakeeladri Temple and Bhavani Island in NTR district, Mypadu Beach and Sri Penusila Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Penchalakona in SPSR Nellore district, Mahanandi and Ahobilam temples in Nandyal district, Raghavendra Swamy temple at Mantralayam in Kurnool district, Horsley Hills in Annamayya district and Lepakshi temple in Satya Sai district.

Home Minister Taneti Vanita, DGP KV Rajendranath Reddy, Special CS (Tourism) Rajat Bhargava and senior police officials were present on this occasion.