Public safety app by GHMC for proactive redressal of grievances

Missing manhole covers, dug up roads without safety measures, the occasional jutting stone or bar that trips you over, or electrical junction boxes left open are a few sights so much part of the city roads that hardly anybody ever notices or complains about them till they become the cause of a mishap.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has begun to proactively take stock of, and provide solutions for such pesky issues that endanger the public safety, rather than wait for them to be aired as grievances by the public.

The civic body has recently launched a mobile phone application called ‘Periodic Public Safety Inspection Application’, to register the visible problems in the public areas, resolve them, and keep a track of them.

The handle for the app is given to the Assistant Engineers in each ward, who can in turn enrol the work inspectors too on the job, to make rounds of their respective areas, spot the issues that endanger public safety, and record them on the app for resolution. The mobile app enables them to record, update, and capture geo-tagged photos of the issues noticed directly from the field.

A centralised dashboard at the headquarters helps the higher officials with the information on daily progress and follow up action.

Ensuring real time tracking, faster inspections and transparent reporting, the app enhances the efficiency and accountability of the inspection process, GHMC Additional Commissioner Anurag Jayanti said. The process of inspections repeats once a cycle is completed, making it periodic in nature.

“The public should not have to approach the headquarters for every little problem. This app has been developed with the intention of providing safe roads without waiting for the public to complain about something. We may not be able to address all the issues, but it will certainly pave the way for better management,” Mr. Jayanti said.