In a bid to introduce tourist safety measures in the city, Agra Municipal Corporation (AMC) has announced installation of panic buttons across Agra. According to AMC, this would not only ensure citizen safety, but would also improve response time of the law enforcement agency.
Naveen Jain, Mayor of Agra was quoted as saying, “Agra is an international tourist city that is visited by tourists in large numbers, both domestic and international. For their safety, we have identified 63 major streets and junctions of the city under the smart city scheme and will be installing panic buttons at these places.”
Jain explained the process by saying that a tourist or a resident in need can press the panic button installed at a nearby landmark. “As soon as a panic button is pressed all traffic lights in the city will turn red which will obstruct the movement of the person who has committed the crime. Secondly, it will also alert the nearby police station, which will immediately send a team to the spot,” he stated.
The button would work in case of emergencies like fire, vehicle and other accidents. Based on the situation, police station, fire brigade and ambulance would be notified and they would reach the spot on priority basis.
So far AMC has not stated the timeline by which the panic buttons are likely to be installed. Agra is home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Taj Mahal, and hosts millions of foreign tourists across the world. On the other hand, the city is also infamous for crimes against the citizens as well as tourists. According to AMC, the panic button is likely to tackle the situation.
