THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : It’s raining apps. With start ups coming up with applications for everything right from choosing your wardrobe to booking tickets to ordering your favourite food, it seems like there is nothing an app cannot do. So, what about an app that can help you save lives on roads? RISHI SPOT, an android app developed by Vishnu Prathap, a final-year MCA student at Sree Narayana Guru Institute of Science and Technology, Paravoor, helps people report traffic violations to the officials concerned.
A user can take pictures or videos of traffic violations and the app helps report the location of the incident using GPS along with the date and time to the nearest traffic authority with the user’s permission. The data can be sent anonymously or explicitly. The incident can also be shared on social networking sites. It is an attempt to actively involve the community to enforce traffic laws to make our roads safer.The second aspect of the application, SPOT (Site of Problem Occurrence Trends), is a graphical representation of patterns of violations and problems on a map. SPOT enables a user to view the various kinds of traffic violations reported from any particular region. The application is freely available for download on Google Playstore.
Vishnu developed the application as part of his final year project. A part-time cab driver, Vishnu has witnessed several accidents on the road which prompted him to do something in this regard. That’s when he decided to get together with K C Jagdeep to come up with an app that helps report traffic violations.
To avoid the app being misused, there is a provision which allows only sending of original photos and videos and not edited ones. The application also allows one to report public nuisance or issues like bad state of roads.
“I wish to empower people, create social awareness and support government and authorities to take action using RISHI SPOT. I hope that the app would empower the public and help safe travel on road,” says Vishnu.