KOCHI: Recently, a video surfaced online showing a group of domestic tourists stepping off a bus in Fort Kochi’s heritage zone and unloading mini cooking gas cylinders and utensils. Within minutes, they were calmly preparing breakfast out in the open.
The location, within sight of several key heritage structures, including St Francis Church, one of the oldest European-built churches in India, triggered outrage among locals. However, many pointed out that this was not a one-off violation.
“The incident pointed to a deeper, creeping disorder in one of Kerala’s most storied tourism hubs,” said Rajesh K S, secretary of the All Kerala Tour Guides Association (AKTGA).
At the centre of the concern is the near-invisible presence of the tourism police, a specialised unit once tasked with managing tourist-heavy zones. “They used to be there in blue shirts and khaki pants, stationed near synagogues and heritage sites, guiding visitors and ensuring order,” said Rakesh, adding, “Now, you don’t see them at all.”
Their absence (or perceived absence) and a lack of general oversight, as TNIE had highlighted in earlier reports, have led to several instances of littering, graffiti on heritage structures, public urination near historic walls, and unregulated commercial activity in the region.
This has, no doubt, irked residents and tourism stakeholders. In a letter to Ernakulam Collector Priyanka G in early February, AKTGA had urged administrators to reinstate regular patrolling of tourism police officers to safeguard visitors and heritage zones. “But no considerable steps have been taken,” Rajesh pointed out.
Now, with the arrival of summer holidays, Fort Kochi and Mattancherry are witnessing a steady surge in domestic tourists. While the influx has certainly revived the local economy, residents and stakeholders say it has also strained an already fragile ecosystem.
“Tourism police officers have become an imperative now. Once, they were an ubiquitous force here. However, after Covid, they are not to be seen,” said Basheer T, a local resident.
However, an officer with Fort Kochi police station maintained that the system of tourism police has not disappeared. “Around 20 personnel are currently deployed across the region,” he said.
The officer clarified that the special unit no longer wears its blue colours. “They wear the standard khaki set,” he said, implying it as a plausible theory why they are not easily distinguished from regular police.
“Earlier, people mistook our personnel in blue-khaki uniforms for security guards. To instil the fear of policing, we opted for the regular khaki colour,” a senior officer with the force said. For residents, the concern is real. As per estimates, domestic tourism likely to climb in the coming years. “A trained force to oversee tourist-heavy zones is integral. Without oversight, the charm be gone,” Rajesh added.