This Dasara, traffic constables will don the role of a “friend and guide” for tourists visiting Mysore to witness the nine-day-long festivities from September 28.
Besides performing their usual job of traffic management, they would give information to tourists about the city, the Dasara events and tourist spots.
In accordance with the concept of ‘Athithi Devo Bhava' , the city police have launched a programme to impart soft skills to traffic constables.
Help
Timely assistance to visitors in distress was the aim behind the programme, according to the police.
“The traffic constables will have a bigger role to play when the city hosts Dasara. Hence, they are being trained in behavioural skills to guide the visitors,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) Rajendra Prasad.
Speaking to The Hindu , he said the training for the first batch of constables was over. The second batch comprising personnel from Krishnaraja, Narasimharaja and Devaraja police subdivisions were undergoing training currently, he added.
Skills
“We are fine-tuning their communication skills too, as language is a key element while interacting with visitors, who come from across the country. The constables have responded well to the training. I am confident they will do a good job,” Mr. Prasad said.
Selected constables would be made proficient in English and Hindi, the sources said.
Training
The constables would be told about their roles and responsibilities during Dasara; guidelines to be followed to ensure smooth vehicular movement during the festivities; and improving their body language and attitude, during the training sessions.
Owing to the two-fold rise in traffic during the festivities, the traffic personnel would be made aware of the city's traffic system, roads and circles so that disruption or chaos could be avoided, especially around the palace and city centres, during the festivities, the sources added.
Tourist kiosks
Trained personnel would be posted at vantage points and major tourist centres by establishing more tourist kiosks.
This year, 40 tourist kiosks would be manned by the police.
Each kiosk would have a constable and a civilian. “With the help of literature on tourist sites, brochures on Dasara events, route maps, train and bus timings, they will guide tourists,” according to Mr. Prasad.
The kiosk would be equipped with communication systems so that tourists can lodge complaints, if any, for quick response from the nearby police station.
