More amenities planned for Kovalam and Shangumugham

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Improving infrastructure facilities at Kovalam and Sangumugham beaches is among the immediate priorities of the Tourism Department, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran has said.

He said that the river cruise project connecting seven rivers in Malabar will be launched in the month-end. More women police and tourism wardens will be deployed to ensure safety of tourists at important destinations.

He was speaking after inaugurating a three-day training programme for tourism police personnel here on Monday. The minister urged to maintain vigil to prevent attacks against tourists like the recent murder of a foreign tourist in future.

The tourism police was asked to prevent entry of drug mafia and criminals at destinations.

The minister said that modern training programmes for toursm police and wardens were to make tourism destinations safe zones. Licence will be issued for tourist guides. Illegal guides will not be allowed. The police should ensure privacy of tourists while enhancing security.

A high-level meeting attended by the tourism minister and state police chief Loknath Behera recently had decided to strengthen the tourism police. The training programme being attended by 108 tourism police personnel is part of this.

ADGPs B Sandhya, S Anandakrishnan, and IG P Vijana attended the inaugural.