App to improve civic services in Tiruchi

In an attempt to rope in citizens to improve the cleanliness of the city and improve its services to them, the Tiruchi Corporation has developed a new Android application.

Christened ‘Smart Trichy App,’ it encourages the citizens of Tiruchi to communicate directly to the Corporation officials to discuss issues and raise complaints. It would also help publicise activities taken up in the city.

The App, which was developed in the third week of August, has been updated recently. It is available on Google Playstore. More than 1,000 persons have so far installed the App on their mobile phones, officials said.

The App allows citizens to send requests to the Corporation on various services being offered by it. They can bring it to the notice of officials on various civic issues like clogging of drainage canals, complaints on drinking water supply, overflowing of sewage on roads, street light problems, issues on non-clearance of garbage on streets, bus stands, markets, marriage halls and other public places.

They can post their grievances with pictures along with their details. Provision has been made for officials to post remedial action taken on the complaints.

Importance has been given to increase the green cover in the city by using the advantage of the App. Needy residents and members of welfare associations can send requests for sourcing saplings from the nurseries of the Corporation.

Corporation Commissioner N. Ravichandran told The Hindu that the new App had been developed with the aim of enhancing transparency in delivering basic services to the citizens of Tiruchi.

It was estimated that more than 3 lakh people were using smart phones. The utilities and applications of the smart phones had gone up dramatically. The smart phones had come in handy on various aspects right from booking railway tickets to ordering food items from restaurants.

The App would empower them to solve civic issues by bringing them to the officials. Steps had been taken to spread the awareness among the citizens of using the App.

The Corporation could invite residents to take part in activities such as plogging, a voluntary activity of citizens cleaning litter while walking. They could register their names and interested areas for taking part in plogging. The Corporation would act as a facilitator to spearhead the ‘Clean Tiruchi’ mission based on registration.

Mr. Ravichandran said provision had been made to publish news and events on the activities of the Corporation on the App.

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