Delhi Govt, Police Ramp Up Tech Usage To Keep Frontline Workers Safe

The Delhi government will launch an app to help people keep a track of availability of hospital beds and ventilators in hospitals for Covid-19 patients, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on May 30.

The CM had also elaborated that the app would be launched on Monday (June 1), however, there has been no update regarding that as of now. He has also elaborated that the app will clarify any confusion about where to take Covid-19 patients for treatment. Moreover, it will also show the number of beds and ventilators that are available in the hospital.

“They are not sure about the beds and ventilators available in the hospitals. For the convenience of such people and to eliminate problems due to such issues, we are developing an app that will be launched on Monday [June 1],” Kejriwal added.

For people who do not have a smartphone or cannot access the app for some reason, they can call on the 1031 helpline to get access to the information. Besides this, the government of the national capital will also set up a website for the same purpose. Kejriwal has also added that not the majority of Covid-19 patients do not need to be admitted to the hospital. Of the 8,500 cases reported in the last 15 days, only 500 were admitted to the hospital.

Delhi Police Joins The Race To Stay Protected

Delhi Police, which comes under the jurisdiction of the central government, has also been relying on tech solutions to effectively tackle Covid-19, without compromising on the security of the personnel deployed. The officials have elaborated contactless sensor-based sanitization machines, thermal cameras, video intercom devices and UV disinfection boxes have been installed at police stations across the south district.

“The artificial intelligence feature of the thermal camera generates voice alert through in-built speakers in case of any abnormal temperature. It can also detect whether a person entering the building is wearing a mask or not,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Kumar Thakur.

On the other hand, the video intercom device enables two-way audio-visual communication between visitor and duty officer eliminating the need for visitors to enter the police station. Meanwhile, the UV disinfection box is used to disinfect paper, files, communication sets or any object entering the office.

Delhi Govt Pushes For Tech Solutions

Besides these, the Delhi government has also incorporated several tech solutions to keep a track of the worsening Covid-19 situation in the national capital. These range from special online classes on parenting to using drones to carry out several sanitisation and surveillance drives. The government is also using Ola and Uber to ferry non-Covid patients.

It has also collaborated with Bengaluru-based healthtech startup CallDoc to consult doctors remotely for non-emergency medical needs. Besides these, the government has launched delhifightscorona.in, a website dedicated to Covid-19 related information. The website has details on containment zones and hotspots, testing facilities, key locations, e-pass procurement and relevant FAQs.

Delhi also has a dedicated WhatsApp helpline number, in April, to provide access to credible information around Covid-19. Users can connect with the number 8800007722 to receive necessary information about the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, the government has also set up a digital portal to disburse electronic tokens (e-tokens), www.qtoken.in, for people to buy liquor through offline stores. The innovative solution has been rolled out to avoid overcrowding at liquor stores.

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