The Nepal government has decided to deploy tourist police in the Rara region to ensure the safety of both domestic and international tourists visiting the area. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Friday between the Tourism Department and the Chayanath Rara Municipality to station tourist police at Rara Lake, Nepal’s largest and deepest lake.
The Director of the Tourism Department, Leeladhar Awasthi, and the Chief Administrative Officer of the Municipality, Pashupati Shahi, signed the agreement, confirming that tourist police will be stationed in the Rara area.
According to the agreement, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, along with the Tourism Department, will manage the human resources, staffing, and police posts for the tourist police, while working with the municipality to deploy the police in relevant duties for the safety of the tourists.
The Chayanath Rara Municipality will be responsible for providing the necessary infrastructure, such as accommodation, drinking water, and electricity, for the tourist police, as well as creating a conducive environment for their work. The region not only boasts Rara Lake but also has religious sites, mountains, and caves. Due to the forested and remote nature of the area, tourists sometimes feel apprehensive about traveling alone.
With the deployment of tourist police, visitors will feel safer and will be able to freely explore these tourist sites, resulting in longer stays at Rara. Shahi, the municipality’s acting chief administrative officer, mentioned, “As tourists stay longer, the local economy will also benefit.”
Mayor Vishnukumar Bhami stated that they are working swiftly to select the location for the tourist police, manage the infrastructure such as housing, drinking water, and electricity, and ensure that the tourist police are stationed at Rara soon.
