Smartphone Compatible New 'Citizen App' on Anvil

KOCHI: City police is bringing out a new  version of ‘Citizen app’ mobile application  as the first version evoked only a lukewarm response from the public. The updated version  would be supported by all operating systems in the smartphone community. The present one worked only on the Android phones.

The much hyped first version of the app was launched on July 1 by the city cops. The app had been designed to make the city dwellers more aware of the traffic rules and penalties. It had the value addition feature of identifying the location if the user meets with an accident or any other uneasy incidents. However, the download reports showed that only a few Kochites are active users of the app. 

The app has received nearly 500 downloads from the ‘Google playstore’ within a span of two and half month from the time of its inception. According to the IT company who developed the app, the first version was only a pilot project. In fact, the main version is on the anvil.

“Though the app has produced only 500 downloads, it doesn’t mean that it is a flop. Many responses are still coming in. As a novel concept, I would say that it has been a success. Mostly youngsters, below thirty, are the users. Meanwhile, suggestions have poured in regarding the improvements in the outfit of the app so as to be conducive to all the new generation smartphones. However, the development of the new version will begin only after the current version goes full fledged,” said Vinod B Issac, founder, Cyberprism.

Admitting that the first version of the app had only a few takers, R Nishanthini, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kochi city told ‘Express’ that the next version of the citizen app will have more features  and it will have access to iPhone, Windows and Android application.  “Though I can’t give you a specific time-frame, the new version with multiple features will be brought out soon,” she said.

Currently, the app has six features such as traffic rules and penalties, report violation, nearest hospitals, nearest police stations, alternate paths and suggestion. If he chooses ‘report violation’, the user can insert the picture taken by him into the app and share it with the traffic police at their Whatsapp number ‘7559899100’. “Majority of the downloads are in the category of ‘report violation’. The users have also requested us to update the alternate path category,” Vinod said.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com