Puri, July 24 Now onwards, tourists and pilgrims planning to visit the temple city of Puri in Orissa will have to show their valid photo identity cards or relevant documents like passports before they can check-in at any of the hotels, lodges and paying-guest facilities.

The move was initiated by the Orissa Police on July 21 to make the city safe and secure from anti-social elements.

Puri, known for famous Jagannath Puri temple and beaches, receives annually over five million visitors and nearly half of them are foreigners.

To accommodate the tourists and pilgrims, the city has about 300 budget hotels and holiday homes, apart from 100 assorted inns and lodges.

Foreign tourists mostly carry valid proofs like a passport with them.owever, a majority of the domestic tourists do not usually carry identity cards. But henceforth, they are expected to remember and keep one of the authentic documents of identity with them before planning a visit to the temple city.

"For us Puri is a very safe place... still it's very much necessary to prove our identity for the betterment of our country as well as to fight against terrorism. It's very necessary to prove the identity," said Keya Roy, a tourist from West Bengal.

With this move, the Orissa Police is confident of deterring small-time criminals, thieves, and even terrorists from targeting Puri.

Puri's Superintendent of Police, Soumendra Priyadarshi said that the visitors could show proof of identity such as passport, voter identity card, driving licence and PAN card.

"In case of a family visiting Puri, only the head of the family will have to show his/her photo identity prior to checking into a hotel," he added.

The owners and managers of hotels and other modes of hospitality have been instructed to follow the rule and its violation could prompt stringent action against them. (ANI)