The Observer Volume 19 Issue 17

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The Observer An IIJNM publication

One Stop Centre to help women facing trauma yet to get off the ground | P 2

Vol 19, Issue 17

Adilin Beatrice C

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echnical glitches in the award-winning Karnataka Mobile One app is forcing people to stop using it. Chirashwini S, a college student, said: “I recharged my Metro card for Rs1,000 using the app in 2019. Money got deducted from my account but was not credited to my Metro card. Annoyed, I made calls to customer care to get my money back. After that, I stopped using the application.” Chirashwini is not alone. Prakash Perumal, a mechanical engineer, said: “I transacted through the app for some time. It worked well. But one day, while I was recharging my BMRCL card for Rs 100, the money was deducted but not credited to my Metro card. Since it was a small amount, I let it go and stopped using the app.” Sanghavi, a housewife, is hesitant to use the app after hearing about such mishaps from her friends. “Two of my friends told

Following continuous disruptions in August 2019, BMRCL officials asked Metro users to not use the app to recharge Metro cards me the app has problems with transactions. They said they had lost money while trying to recharge their BMRCL cards. I downloaded but had problems signing in. So I uninstalled it.” Following continuous disruptions in August 2019, BMRCL officials asked Metro users to not use the app to recharge Metro cards. Users could not sign in.

Epaper:https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Daycare centres do not bother to register, BBMP lets them be | P 3

Technical glitches force users to dump Karnataka Mobile One Money debited is not put in Metro card: Users

@theweeklyobserver

Harshi Srinivas, project manager of the Karnataka Mobile One app, Electronic Delivery for Citizen Services (EDCS), informed The Observer: “The application is facing minor technical glitches due to a rebuilding process. Currently, even BMRCL recharges have been made perfect, and 8,000 to 10,000 transactions take place through the app in a month. Since the old version and its features are outdated, we are working on producing a better version. The app will be on track within a week, and all transactions made henceforth will be successful. Transactions are a very small part in the app. Other than that, the app focuses on SMS services and is used by around 90 Karnataka government departments on daily basis.” Gopi Krishna, a software engineer, said: “There are a lot of issues that cause technical glitches in the app. Transaction errors are mostly because of open code usage, cross-device testing and network compatibility.” While transferring cash on a 4G mobile, network issues reduce the speed to 3G or 2G. This disturbs the transaction dur to this resulting in deduction of money. The glitch can be rectified by revamping the app.

According to a source in the Karnataka e-governance department, the app has been downloaded on 4 lakh Android and 45,000 iOS mobiles till date. The app won a gold medal at the World Government Summit in Dubai for crossing the transaction amount of Rs.13.51 crore in 2016. Only 0.4% of Karnataka’s mobile users seem to have downloaded the app, according to data published by Karnataka Evaluation Authority, in association with the Centre for e-Governance in 2017. Karnataka Mobile One, launched by President Pranab Mukherjee to mark the Digital India initiative in December 2014, is a one-stop platform for 4,500 services of state and central government departments as well as private service providers. Services available through the app include utility bill, income and property tax payment; Sakala services; bus and railway ticket booking; application for various government and private services in the categories of healthcare, banking, travel, legal, agriculture and other areas. Payments can be made through credit card, Internet banking, debit card, IMPS, cash cards and wallets. adilin.b@iijnm.org

News briefs Supreme court refuses to stay Citizenship Amendment Act A three-judge Bench led by CJI Sharad A. Bobde on Wednesday did not heed pleas to even postpone the process of collecting population data to identify illegal migrants or “doubtful citizens” on the basis of their religion. The CJI indicated petitions against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) may eventually be referred to a Constitution Bench for a decision on its merits. But it refused to stay the Act. Trump warns European Union of a trade war US President Donald Trump relaunched a major trade offensive against Europe on Wednesday, threatening to hit the EuropeanUnion (EU) with damaging auto tariffs if Europeans do not agree a long-delayed trade deal. He warned that EU cars will face a 25 percent tariffs if US and Brussels do not reach a trade deal. High Court stops eviction of people from Bellandur The Karnataka HC on restrained the State authorities from evicting or disturbing those living in sheds in survey No. 35/2 of Kariyammana Agrahara, Bellandur, behind Mantri Espana apartments, and in Devarabeesanahalli and Kundalahalli, all areas situated in BBMP’s ward number 151. Police demolished 150 makeshift houses in Kariyammana Agrahara on Jan 20.

Fearing they will lose money, cab Stuck during sign-up, drivers are wary of using FASTag safety app disappoints

Say they are not issued receipts at toll booths Aman Bhardwaj

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ab drivers and cab agencies in Bengaluru are hesitant to link their bank accountswith FASTag fearing losing their money. They complain about toll booths charging more money from them. According to the road transport and highwaysministry, all the seven NHAI toll plazas in and around Bengaluru will have 3-4

A cab driver said that earlier he got discounts for a round-trip payment but not anymore | Credit: Aman Bharadwaj lanes that will accept cash payments; the rest will be FASTag lanes until all problems in trans-

actions are resolved. Currently there are various issues in the implementing FASTag. Ramesh, a cab driver, informed The Observer: “We have to submit receipts of toll paid in our offices, but because of FASTag, we are not getting receiptsafter paying toll. Staff at toll booths refuse to give us receipts.” Rama Murthy, another cab driver, said: “Instead of paying Rs 135 on the airport road, I have been charged double at the toll plaza once.” “Earlier we got discounts for a round-trip payment but It’s of won’t apply anymore.” Cab drivers not willing to adopt FASTag, P 3

Aarthi N

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hough more than 2.4 lakh people have downloaded the Suraksha personal safety app recently, many are at a loss because of it has a technical issue. The registration page in the app often freezes while registering. Anjana D, an employee of an IT company, said: “After downloading it, we have to register our name, phone number and add two emergency contacts. When I tried doing this, the app got stuck on the page. When I tried going back, it didn’t work.” An engineering student from the city, Vinothini R, informed The Observer: “I recently heard

When the red button is tapped, messages are sent to the two contact numbers | Credit: Aarthi N about the app and tried downloading it. After registration, it just got stuck with the page that appeared. Introducing the app for the safety of women is a great initiative, but such technical errors should be resolved as early as possible.” Rise in app downloads, P 2


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The Observer Volume 19 Issue 17 by IIJNM Bangalore - Issuu