A mobile application to facilitate communication between members of the public and the police top brass during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic was launched by the Nilgiris Superintendent of Police V. Sasi Mohan on Monday.
The ‘Nilgiris District Police’ app, available on the Android Play Store, will also provide information to tourists about nearby water ATMs, public transport hubs, parking lots, popular tourist spots and how to get there.
Mr Mohan told The Hindu that the launch of the mobile application will serve many purposes. “First, it is impractical for people from Gudalur, Pandalur, Devala and Coonoor to come to Udhagamandalam to meet either the SP or the DSP. So using this app, members of the public can get in touch with us safely and securely,” he said. “For instance, if a resident from Erumadu wants to submit a complaint to the SP, the person will have to travel a distance of 60-70 km, and now as there is no public transport, it has become even harder for them to travel to Udhagamandalam town,” he pointed out.
Members of the public can also file police complaints including that of theft using the app. They can also get information about local police stations, officers at the station and other key information. They can also intimate police of traffic snarls or any violations by taking a picture on their phones and uploading it onto the application.
Assistance for tourists
The mobile application will also be extremely useful for tourists, as key alerts, like the movement of wildlife along particular stretches of road, landslips, road blocks and other information will also be displayed there.
“Tourists can also see which are the tourist destinations closest to them, and using Google maps, find the quickest and most efficient way to get there,” said Mr. Sasi Mohan.
The police plan to refine the app in the coming months. Details about parking slots available for vehicles and other information would be made available to users. They also hope to roll out a version for iOS phones in the coming weeks.
