Kavalan app, a safety net for senior citizens in Chennai

When the driver quoted an unreasonable price, Chandra Shekar declined to take the ride. “He drove off, but then he came back and began to harass us. As there is no pavement on the road, and I use a walking stick, we were at a risk to be run over. He began shouting and we became afraid,” he said.

It was at this point Chandra Shekar remembered that he had downloaded the Kavalan app a few days ago. He pressed the SOS button, and according to the senior citizen, he received a call five minutes later.

“Once the driver noticed I was on a call with the police, he got back into his vehicle and drove away. Normally, when such situations occur – and they have before – we are surrounded by other rickshaw drivers who all shout at us on the road. This diffused the situation quickly,” he said.

Launched in May 2018, the app is designed for the public, especially women and senior citizens, to use when they feel vulnerable or threatened, said the TN Police website. Developed by Amtex Systems, the app has seen nearly six lakh downloads thus far.

For his wife, Vijayalakshmi, who had downloaded the app in May this year, Kavalan acts as a safety net when she leaves the house. “I saw a programme on television speaking about the benefits of the app, and I downloaded it later. It makes me feel safer when I go outside as the response from the police is very prompt,” said the 62-year-old.

Chandra Shekar, the president of the Senior Citizens Group of Besant Nagar (SCGOBN), said that senior citizens face issues of harassment frequently, and are particularly vulnerable to road traffic accidents due to rash driving and lack of usable pavements. This app offers them the confidence to go outside despite these issues, he said.

“I am quite technologically challenged. I still do not know how to download the app. A youngster from the area helped me download it. However, using the app is very simple as one just needs to press the SOS button and then wait for a call from the police control room,” he said.

As many other senior citizens may not be aware of how to download the app, SCGOBN held an awareness programme at Malar Hospitals, Adyar, on December 14 with the Chennai Police to raise awareness on the usage and purpose of the app. A software professional in the seminar downloaded the app for all the 50 participants, said Chandra Shekar.

The move has instilled confidence in the elders for the police force, he added. “I now have a lot of confidence in the police force. They were prompt, polite and followed-up with us during the incident that occurred on December 24. This feeling of safety is all thanks to the Kavalan app,” added Vijaylakshmi.