Thrikkakara municipality to launch consumer-centric mobile app on September 29

More than three months after receiving the approval of the council, the Thrikkakara municipality is set to roll out Thrikkakara Consumer Protection Forum, a mobile application that allows consumers within the municipal limits to review shops and establishments and lodge complaints.

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies G.R. Anil will inaugurate the app at a function to be held on Sunday. Initially, the app, designed by a Thrissur-based developer, will be available to Android users on Play Store. Discussions are being held to make it accessible on Apple Store for iPhone users.

“Ultimately, the Artificial Intelligence-driven app will serve as an empowering tool for consumers, who are an unorganised community. Public opinion will hold traders accountable and encourage transparency in their operations. The app will also facilitate quick solution unlike other redressal avenues like consumer courts,” said Unni Kakkanad, chairman of municipal health standing committee. 

The decision to develop a mobile app was made after the municipality experienced a spate of food poisoning incidents that drew widespread criticism.

Initially, the app will feature hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, hospitals, and fish markets, among others. Consumers will be able to post reviews and complaints, complete with pictures and videos. While the reviews will be open to public, specific complaints will be viewable only by the designated admin panel. This seven-member panel will include the municipal chairperson, health standing committee chairperson, municipal secretary, clean city manager, health inspector, and officers from Food Safety, legal metrology, and the police departments.

“The actions taken by the panel will also be accessible only to the respective complainants. The admin panel will meet once a month to review and address complaints,” said Mr. Kakkanad.

Additional features may be added to the app over time. In the future, AI-driven analytics will identify patterns in complaints, including institutions that receive frequent grievances and the types of issues being raised.

Published - September 27, 2024 07:35 pm IST