Mobile application for senior citizens launched

New Delhi, Oct 1: Delhi Police today launched a mobile application for senior citizens to enable them to reach out to the police quickly in emergency situations.

On the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons, the app 'Delhi Police Senior Citizen' was launched by Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma in the presence of senior police officials.

It will serve as an aid to the elderly in times of distress or in case of medical emergencies. They will be able to send an SOS through the application that will immediately be transferred to the SHO and beat constable concerned.

"Those registered on the app will have the facility of pressing an SOS button for emergency call to the senior citizens helpline 1291. An alert will go to 24X7 control room with location of the caller and a simultaneous alert in the form of an SMS will go to the area SHO, beat officer and a pre-assigned contact," Verma said.

The application will be available on Google Play Store.

While speaking at the event, Jung asked the police to hold awareness camps so that the elderly who are not tech- savvy get to know about the app.

"A lot of us would not know about things like Google Play Store and mobile applications. I would request the commissioner to organise camps at a local level so that elderly people who are not well-versed with technology can be made aware about the application," he said.

Addressing the gathering of elderly people at the event, he said, "It's my request to you to take this app seriously.

Even if you fall in the bathroom, you can call the police. We need to reciprocate to make this app successful. We have to help Delhi Police and trust them."

Presently, 27,645 senior citizens are registered with Delhi Police.

"A senior citizen can register himself/herself with Delhi Police after downloading the app. The registered senior citizen will get to know their beat officer's name and mobile number. They can also check the last date of visit by beat officer to them," Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Taj Hassan said.

The application will also help senior officers to monitor the beat staff and their visits to the elderly.

"Whenever the beat officer will be visiting the registered senior citizens, he will take a selfie with them and upload it on the application. The area SHO will be able to keep a tab on the visits of beat officers to the registered senior citizens," Hassan said.

Many of the elderly who attended the event said they don't have smartphones and even if they have it, they don't know how to operate it.

"We have advisory bodies for senior citizens at different levels and their meetings are held regularly. Through them, we can easily tell senior citizens about the app. We will create awareness about it through advertisements in newspapers," Hassan said.

PTI