Night navigation app for boats launched in Assam

DISPUR: India’s first night navigation smartphone application for rivers was launched for boats running on the Brahmaputra River, an official spokeswoman informed on Saturday, February 19. An Inland Water Transport ferry equipped with the system sailed between Guwahati and North Guwahati for the first night journey at 9 PM and returned in about an hour.

According to the spokeswoman, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ceremonially launched the app during the day. According to a representative for the transport department, the night navigation mobile application was developed in collaboration with K Raju, Senior Scientist, IIT Madras, and will survey the rivers’ draught.

The official notice read that CM Sarma also introduced ten Aadhar-based contactless services of the department as part of the efforts to make public service delivery more effective and hassle-free. According to the report, these services are likely to lower annual footfall at District Transport Offices (DTOs) by roughly four lakh.

CM Sarma added that, in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, efforts are being made in Assam to reduce the compliance burden of the common people in accessing government services, and that online services are a step in that direction.

CM Sarma praised the Department of Transport, Government of Assam for earning almost Rs 800 crore in income despite the pandemic last year, calling it one of his government’s best-performing departments in the first nine months. DTOs would be free to focus on enforcement of laws and regulations if the transport department gradually phased out offline application and service delivery.

At the same time, CM Sarma established an e-ticketing system for Dhubri and Silchar ferry services. According to the announcement, an MoU was also signed between the Common Service Centres and the transport department to let people at the panchayat level access internet services.

People in Assam will be able to access the department’s online services through a total of 13,568 CSCs, according to the statement. Six Vahan software-based services dealing to automobiles and four Sarathi software-based services relating to driving licences are among the ten services launched by the department on Saturday.

Last year, the transport department offered three online Aadhar-based services: applying for a learner’s licence from home, renewing a driver’s licence, and getting a duplicate driver’s licence. Since the service’s launch, 4,52,000 people have been able to receive a learner’s licence through the online option, according to the statement