Smart Vizag app not user-friendly

Visakhapatnam: While the smart city’s local bodies have introduced smart initiatives like mobile application — Smart Vizag — and an online grievance redress platform to ensure that its denizens do not need to commute to offices payment of taxes or make a complaint, problems of technical glitches and delays in disposal of the grievances persist. Many users are unhappy over the poor standard of the mobile app, as is reflected in their feedback on the comment section of the mobile app. A few use-rs have appreciated the application, though. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) launched the onl-ine grievance link in 2012 and the mobile app in 2015. However, the online initiatives have failed to meet the expectations of the public.

The mobile app allows citizens to pay taxes like property tax, vacant land tax, trade licences, water tax and to make requests for water tank, property assessment, new tap connection etc. Besides, the app also enables people locate public amenities like parking lots and sports facilities. Some users have complained about the troubles they were facing in paying the bill and non-generati-on of receipts. Poor respo-nse to the complaints is also a serious issue.

When contacted, GVMC additional deputy commissioner (projects and IT) N. Mohana Rao said, “We are tagging the complaints to the concerned wing and taking active measures to improve the quality and standard as per the feedback and need. There could be some technical errors, but we are resolving such matters promptly.” Asked about the user base, he said, “I can't tell the exact figure now. But, we should not asses the popularity of the app based on the number of downloads. Many are downloading the app, but are not using it.”

Irked over the functioning of the mobile app, a user, Viswanadh Chandra, commented that it was not at all qualified to be released in the Google play store. There are many things to be updated and improved, he suggested. “This app has a feature on status update for complaints. But when we try, it shows network error. Nobody is responding to complaints,” comments Goutam Sengupta.

Facing a problem in making online payments, Vikram Goday said, “I am unable to make payments. After entering card details, nothing happens, and if I choose net banking, it says error in generating bill. It’s a good app if bugs are sorted out.”