Agra is known for world-renowned monument Taj Mahal (File Photo)
Agra Municipal Corporation has announced that it will install panic buttons at different parts of the city for the safety of the citizens and to further improve the response time of the law enforcement agency.
Sharing details of the initiative, Agra Mayor Naveen Jain told ANI, "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."
Elucidating on the functioning of the panic buttons, he said, "Whenever a tourist or resident, requires the help of police, they can press this button. 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."
Jain went on to say that the buttons can also be used in case of fire. When pressed, an alert would be sent to ambulance services and fire brigades for reaching the spot.
Although the initiative is yet to be put in place, the proposal has been well received by residents of the tourist city.
Saurabh Singh Yadav, an Agra resident, told ANI, "From whatever we have heard, this sounds like a great initiative, however, it is yet to be seen how successful it will be. We will have to see how it works in lowering crime in the city."
Another resident Sujeet Kumar said, "This is an appreciable initiative and will give a boost to women safety. Such things are important for a smart city."
Agra is known for world-renowned monument Taj Mahal and millions of tourists visit the town to catch a glimpse of the iconic Mughal-period mausoleum made of white marble. Tourists, when in Agra, also visit Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.