Vodafone Idea is conducting a first of its kind initiative in association with the Mysuru City Police Department, to ensure a safe and worry free Navaratri festival for tourists visiting the Mysuru Palace during Dasara 2018. In line with Vodafone Idea’s long-term commitment to achieve the highest standards of health, safety and well-being in and around the communities that it operates, all children under 14 years of age are being protected with Vodafone Happy Cards (RFID radio-frequency identification) tags that are hung on their neck at any of the three entry points to the Mysuru Palace, ensuring their movements and location remain tracked till the time they return to the entry/exit point. This initiative is being done to help prevent incidents of children getting lost during the annual Mysuru Dasara festivities which sees the influx of tens of lakhs of visitors to the city.
Families travelling with children under 14 years of age are being requested to visit the Mysuru State Police/ Vodafone tents at any of the three entry/exit points to the Mysuru Palace to avail this service. Post registration, each child is being provided with a Vodafone Happy Card (RFID tag) mapped to the child’s name, guardian’s name, contact number and relevant details. If a child with a Vodafone Happy Card (RFID tag) is separated from his/her family, police officials finding the child take him/her to the control centre where the Vodafone Happy card (RFID) reader scans the Vodafone happy card (RFID) tag. The child’s whereabouts are immediately passed on to the mobile number registered in the card. Thus, the Vodafone Happy Card (RFID) tag significantly simplifies monitoring the movements of young visitors to the palace and facilitates quick reunion with their dear ones.
As long as the Vodafone Happy Card (RFID) tag remains hung on the neck, all movements of these children can be monitored by the Mysuru Police force.
Extending his best wishes to the residents of Karnataka and all tourists visiting Mysuru this Navaratri, Arvind Nevatia, Business Head – Karnataka, Vodafone Idea, said, “The Mysuru Dasara is one of India’s most popular annual festivities, bringing an estimated 12-15 lakh visitors from across India and overseas to the city. Each year, the City Police deals with several hundred complaints of lost children. This is the first time Vodafone is deploying our globally acknowledged RFID technology to benefit the masses visiting the Grand Palace of the Wodeyar Kings. We are proud to associate with the Mysuru City Police force for this initiative. Together, we seek the support of all citizens and visitors to make this endeavor to keep your children protected, a success.”
Dr. A. Subrahmanyeswara Rao, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Mysuru said “The sheer number of people visiting Mysuru each Dasara season makes it a highly challenging task to monitor the crowd movements and prevent cases of lost children. The Vodafone RFID technology tags help simplify the City Police Force task of keeping a watchful eye on children under 14 years of age and empower our teams to focus on other policing responsibilities.”
Vodafone RFID technology tags for young visitors to Mysuru Palace will continue to be offered all through Navaratri, concluding with Dasara on 19 October, 2018.