Ahmedabad is all set to pilot an initiative soon where a quick scan of a QR code pasted on auto rickshaws and taxis will reveal if the drivers have any criminal background.
Thefts, and incidents of harassment of tourists and women have been reported, especially during late hours or in “poorly-lit areas”.
Ahmedabad Police’s initiative comes under the Safe City Project, utilising the Nirbhaya Fund under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is expected to be launched ahead of the Jagannath Rath Yatra on July 7. The Safe City Project, which focuses on safety of women and curbing all forms of crimes against women with better infrastructure and efficient access to law enforcement agencies, is being implemented in eight metro cities in the country. Ahmedabad is one of these cities apart from Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Lucknow.
In Ahmedabad, the project includes 18 components, says Choudhary, including setting up surveillance systems, social media analytics, integrated command and control centre, data centre, and facial recognition system. Choudhary is also the nodal officer of the Safe City Project.
‘QR Code based Tracking System’ is one of the components that will give citizens access through the application ‘One City’.
Under this initiative, a unique QR code sticker will be issued to each auto rickshaw or taxi, with the QR code displayed visibly in three places — outside and inside the vehicle and behind the driver’s seat for easy access. Any passenger scanning the code will get the details of the driver. Registration number of the vehicle, owner’s name and address, drivers’ details with his photograph, and driver’s criminal record history (reflecting open cases against the driver) – these will be the details that shall be made available, explained officials working on the project.
The ‘One City’ app is available on Play Store (Android) and App Store (iOS). The app intends to be a one-stop solution as it provides a direct line with the police, and eventually is planned to be a one-stop solution for all citizen-centric issues, including those linked to the local civic body.
Passengers can share their live locations while in transit with their family members or friends through the ‘Track Me’ feature. They can also call for help using the SOS button on the app. “In case of any emergency, a high-priority alert message will be sent to the emergency contact numbers or police officials. They can scan the QR code, request She Team services, register a complaint, and register up to three contacts using the city mobile application. The app requires details such as the auto driver’s PAN card and Aadhaar,”