Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday inaugurated the state's first Tourist Police Post at Shri Mata Mansa Devi Temple in Panchkula, introducing a dedicated policing and assistance facility aimed at improving security, convenience and grievance redressal for devotees visiting the prominent religious destination.
Equipped with modern surveillance systems, specially trained police personnel and visitor-friendly facilities, the post has been established to provide security, guidance and assistance to devotees arriving from different parts of the country. The initiative is also expected to promote religious tourism by ensuring that visitors can access essential services without having to approach multiple offices or police stations, according to an official statement.
Haryana Director General of Police Ajay Singhal and Panchkula Police Commissioner Pankaj Nain were among the senior officers present at the inauguration. Saini reviewed the functioning of the facility, its security arrangements and the services available to devotees.
Dedicated assistance for devotees
Appreciating the initiative, the Chief Minister said Shri Mata Mansa Devi Temple attracts large numbers of devotees from different states, making it essential to provide assistance that takes into account their languages, requirements and concerns. He said the Tourist Police Post would serve as an effective mechanism for addressing visitors' difficulties promptly and ensuring a safer and more convenient experience within the temple premises.
Twenty specially trained police personnel have been deployed at the post round-the-clock. They will wear distinctive Tourist Police uniforms, different from those of regular police personnel, allowing devotees to identify them easily whenever assistance is required.
The personnel have undergone specialised training in courteous behaviour, effective communication, soft skills and understanding the needs of visitors from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The initiative is intended to strengthen trust between the police and devotees while ensuring that assistance remains readily available throughout the day.
Information under one roof
The Tourist Police Post has been developed as an integrated assistance and information centre where devotees can obtain details about general darshan queues, VIP darshan arrangements, shoe-deposit facilities, prasad distribution, langar and other essential services within the temple complex.
Visitors will also receive guidance regarding nearby bus stands, railway stations, auto-rickshaw and e-rickshaw stands, parking facilities and other transport arrangements. The facility will provide information about additional religious destinations in the region, including Shri Kali Mata Temple and Shri Chandi Mata Temple in Kalka, along with directions for reaching these sites.
According to the official statement, the objective is to ensure that religious tourists can access important information and necessary assistance at a single location rather than moving between different counters or offices.
Surveillance and emergency response
Security arrangements at the temple have been strengthened through a dedicated control room at the Tourist Police Post, which will monitor live feeds from more than 100 CCTV cameras installed across the premises.
Police personnel will use the surveillance network to monitor crowd movement, identify suspicious activities and coordinate emergency responses. Announcements through loudspeakers will also be made to provide information, issue safety instructions and alert devotees whenever necessary.
In the event of an emergency or security concern, personnel stationed at the post will coordinate with the relevant police and emergency response teams to ensure timely assistance.
The integrated surveillance system is expected to improve crowd management, particularly during festivals and other occasions when large numbers of devotees visit the temple.
Complaint registration made easier
One of the key features of the new facility is the availability of complaint registration services within the temple complex. Earlier, devotees reporting missing persons, lost belongings or other incidents had to visit Mata Mansa Devi Police Station, located approximately two kilometres away.
Facilities for First Information Report (FIR) registration and Daily Diary Report (DDR) entries have now been made available at the Tourist Police Post, allowing visitors to report incidents and seek police assistance without leaving the temple premises.
Officials said the arrangement would simplify grievance redressal, reduce inconvenience and enable quicker police intervention in matters requiring immediate attention.
The facility is also intended to help devotees unfamiliar with the local area or language communicate their concerns more easily to trained personnel.
Focus on religious tourism
Director General of Police Ajay Singhal said the establishment of Haryana's first Tourist Police Post reflected the state police's commitment to improving security, convenience and public services at religious destinations.
He expressed confidence that the deployment of specially trained personnel, modern surveillance infrastructure and improved communication facilities would make visits to Shri Mata Mansa Devi Temple safer and more convenient.
The initiative represents an effort to combine conventional policing with visitor assistance at a major religious centre, with an emphasis on accessibility, prompt grievance redressal and effective security management.
Officials said the dedicated post would provide devotees with a single point of contact for information, assistance and police services, helping improve the overall experience of pilgrims visiting the temple.