In a move to reach out to commuters with basic mobile phones, the Delhi traffic police have started a free SMS service to alert the city’s denizens about the traffic scenario in the nation’s capital. The law enforcement agency already has an app, Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp platform for such updates.
The e-initiative will be implemented by the Delhi traffic police on a daily basis to inform residents about traffic congestions caused due to political rallies, religious processions, strikes, water logging, road blocks, accidents, and the breakdown of vehicles. To subscribe, people have to send an SMS containing ‘S DTP Name’ to 9811452220.
According to the statement issued by the police, the free service will begin within 24 hours after registration. If a user wishes to unsubscribe, they’ll have to send an SMS to the same number with the words S REM. The scheme was unveiled by Bhim Sain Bassi, the Commissioner of Police in Delhi, in line with the Prime Minister’s SMART policy.
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The alert system has been launched in association with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoIT). The government body had previously provided the Delhi police with free bulk SMSes for such purposes. It’s been given to them for the duration of a year under the Mobile Seva e-governance initiative.
It’s not the first time the police has started an SMS update program. The service went through a trial period for a few months in 2012 through a private company. It’s taken some time to arrive since then, but it should prove to be useful in situations where internet access isn’t possible or the handset being used isn’t a smartphone.