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NEW DELHI: The next time a tourist attempts to take a selfie at an accident-prone area in India, they may be warned through public address systems and alert volunteers. People will also come across 'no-selfie zone' signages in such areas.

In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said the tourism ministry, taking note of accidents caused in the process of taking selfies at tourist locations, has advised all state governments and UT administrations to safeguard tourists by declaring the accident-prone spots as ‘no-selfie zones’.

The guidelines ask states/UTs to identify all tourist spots prone to accidents and install signages warning visitors of the danger involved in taking selfies at such locations. States, which are primarily responsible for providing safety to tourists, including through self-precautionary measures, were also asked to post volunteers and tourist police at such identified spots, apart and sensitise them through public address system. Besides, the guidelines seek to spread awareness through social media and barricading areas of possible danger.

“The state government of Maharashtra has informed that they have taken measures to create awareness through signages indicating danger zones including selfie danger zones in the past,” Ahir told the MPs.

Provision of safety to tourists for various tourism-related activities including self-precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident is the primary responsibility of the concerned state government/UT administration.

