Goa Police preparing for tourist surge in December amid Covid fears: DGP

Panaji: Goa Police is gearing up for a surge in tourists ahead of the peak tourism season in December, Director General of Police Mukesh Kumar Meena said on Saturday, adding that preparedness for crowds especially in wake of the pandemic was a challenge for the security force.

Meena also said that nearly 900 police personnel had tested positive for Covid-19, ever since the outbreak earlier this year.

"I could see on beaches, the crowd has increased and hotels too are seeing more and more bookings. It will be a challenging task," Meena said, when asked about the police preparedness for tourists during the peak tourism season.

"We have already discussed with officers, they are forming a strategy. Because of Covid it is a challenging task to deploy force round the clock," Meena said. The top cop said that around 900 police personnel, including himself, had tested positive for coronavirus.

"People are fed up with being in one place now. They want to come and relax. They think Goa is the best place," Meena said, adding that all activities, including those related to tourism should be allowed by following existing SOPs, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing norms.

Tourism activity in Goa, peaks during the Christmas week leading up to New Year, during which hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the state annually. This year though, tourism activity is slowly picking up, after a several month-long lull in wake of the pandemic.