Hyderabad: The women’s safety wing of Telangana police on Monday, September 2, held a meeting with hotel aggregators and asked them to ensure the protection of all guests, particularly women and children.
The director general of the women’s safety wing, Shikha Goel, led the meeting and reviewed the existing safety and security protocols in hotels, emphasizing the need for enhanced protection for all guests.
The discussions focused on improving ID verification processes, extending CCTV footage storage durations, and ensuring emergency police contact information is readily available in hotel rooms, reception areas, and common spaces. She advised hotel aggregators to reassess their safety protocols and enhance their current operations.
Goel highlighted that hotels agreed to enforce strict ID verification for all guests, mandating original ID cards at check-in. A standardized entry register format will be implemented to maintain consistent documentation across all franchise properties. She also recommended extending the backup storage duration for CCTV footage from the current 30–60 days to a minimum of 90 days, with weekly or fortnightly audits to ensure all cameras are functioning properly.
She further directed hotel management to display emergency contact numbers, such as Dial 100, prominently in all rooms and reception areas. To aid in this effort, the Women’s Safety Wing will provide stickers and posters detailing safety measures.
Goel emphasized the importance of regular staff training focused on guest safety, particularly for women. She also called for implementing a background verification process for all hotel staff to ensure their credibility.
The official underscored the necessity of immediately reporting to the police any illegal activities or suspicious behaviour observed in hotels. She also announced that emergency contact details would be included in booking confirmation emails and SMS notifications as a pop-up message, reminding guests to stay vigilant and know how to seek help in an emergency.
Goel assured the aggregators that the women’s safety wing would continue to collaborate with them, monitoring the effectiveness of these protocols and working with local police officers to ensure a safe environment for all citizens of Telangana.
