Kerala: App to nail buses running riot

KANNUR: Kannurites don’t have to be vexed about over speeding buses anymore, but instead can report directly to the authorities with evidence! In a first for the state, Kannur District Administration has launched an android mobile application which will help passengers find out whether the bus they are travelling in is speeding. If the bus breaches the stipulated speed limit, they can immediately inform authorities by recording the speed using the mobile app and clicking the bus ticket within a few seconds. The app ‘Speedspot’, developed by National Informatics Centre-Kannur, can be downloaded from Google Play Store.

If the bus exceeds 35km/hr within a town area, or 65km/hr on a highway, the passenger can use the app to send this information to RTO officials.  The app will capture speed, date, time, location, GPS tag and lets the user submit an image of the bus ticket and also additional information. Over-speeding of buses is one of the main reasons for road accidents in the district as many including students lose their lives. In 2016 alone, 1.432 accidents took place in Kannur in which 170 persons lost their lives and another 1,887 were injured.

“By using the app, one shall not have to be a mute spectator to rash and negligent driving. The submissions will be monitored by the RTO Office and action will be taken accordingly,” said Kannur District Collector Mir Mohammed Ali. “I have a special request to all college-going students to use this app to complain so that we can bring about a sense of safety on our roads,” he added.