Mysuru: The Department of Tourism has launched a mobile tourist patrol vehicle, ‘Yatri Mitra’, to assist visitors and keep a check on touts at major tourist spots in the city.

Tourism Minister K.J. George launched the vehicle at the Mysuru Palace premises yesterday as part of the World Tourism Day celebrations.

The vehicle will be on the move between major tourist locations such as the Mysuru Palace, Chamundi Hill, Mysuru Zoo, railway station and bus stand. Tourists can approach the patrol vehicle for information about tourist attractions, routes and other services.

One of the initiative’s main purposes is to prevent tourists from being misled by touts. The Tourism Department has received complaints that visitors are given wrong information about tourist places and services, sometimes resulting in them being charged for services or taken to places they did not intend to visit.

Two trained ‘Tourist Mithras’ will be stationed in the vehicle. They will assist tourists in case of medical, security or other emergencies and provide information and guidance whenever required.

Unlike a conventional tourist information centre, the vehicle will keep moving between tourist spots. The concept is based on the mobile patrolling system followed by the Police, with the unit reaching places where tourists are present rather than waiting for them at a fixed location.

The initiative has been conceptualised by V.M. Prabhuswamy, Special Officer to the Minister for Tourism and former Assistant Director of the Department of Tourism, Mysuru.

The ‘Yatri Mitra’ service will initially be run on a trial basis from Sept. 27 to Oct. 31, covering the Dasara season. The Department will review the functioning of the service and feedback from tourists during this period before taking a decision on continuing it permanently.

The vehicle has been provided by GRS Fantasy Park/Baliga Investments Private Limited as part of the collaboration with the Tourism Department. The company has also provided a dedicated driver and will bear the fuel expenses during the trial period.

The Department plans to continue the service if the trial proves useful and is also considering extending the model to other important tourist destinations in Mysuru.