S'APP'ED & SULLIED

Applications should be more commercially viable. The main issue lies in ownership. The government does not possess the expertise that private companies, which solely focus on app development, cater to user needs -An IT expert

- VARSHA SOMARAJ @T'Puram

OVER the years, there has been no dearth of mobile applications launched by the state government to address public needs and improve services.

However, several apps launched with much fanfare have failed to retain relevance, owing to operational inefficiencies, prolonged neglect in updating software functionalities and poor uptake.

The Nirbhayam app, launched to enhance women's safety, had a good early run. Introduced by Kochi police and later expanded to other districts, it allowed users to send audio, video and text messages to police in emergencies. One of the features of the app enabled users to alert the police control room by holding down a button for five seconds. Nirbhayam saw over 1 lakh downloads in its first year, with more than 1,000 calls received in its initial 10 months. However, it has since faded into obscurity. Last updated in April 2021, the app is no longer available on Google Play Store.

BevQ, introduced for purchasing beverages during the Covid lockdown, also ceased operations after an initial surge in demand. From the early stages itself, users reported glitches. The app created a virtual queue by assigning an outlet to customers through tokens issued on a first-come-first-served basis.