Sunday, September 18, 2011

Tourists in Goa to provide photo identity proof for booking hotels

Tourists visiting Goa without any photo identity proof, henceforth, will not be able to check-in at any hotels or guest houses in the state. Based on intelligence inputs regarding terrorist threats to the western coast of India, Mihir Vardhan, District Magistrate, North Goa, Panjim, recently directed all owners and management of hotels, lodging and boarding, private guest houses and paying guest accommodations, not to allow any visitors to check in without producing a photo identity card.

“Visitors should provide a photo identity proof such as smart card, election card, employment card, ATM card or any other photo identity card issued by a recognised authority,” said Vardhan. He said that the in-charge of such accommodation 'shall provide all information' for inspection to the police authority and this order will be effective November 7, 2011. “Any person contravening this order shall be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code,” Vardhan added.

According to a report in The Times of India, this order has been issued based on reports received from the superintendent of police, North Goa. The reports state that 'due to the prevailing situation in the country and intelligence inputs regarding terrorist threats, anti-social elements with an intention of committing crime in Goa, stay in hotels with fictitious names by furnishing bogus residential and official addresses, telephone numbers and after commission of crime, it becomes very difficult to locate the culprit on the basis of available information recorded.’

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