Kerala launches Citizen Sentinel; people to monitor road safety

Kerala has launched the Citizen Sentinel app, designed to allow the public to report traffic rule violations easily. Inaugurated by Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, the app is integrated with the NextGen mParivahan platform. Users can upload photos and videos of violations, up to 8 MB in size, which the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) will then verify before issuing e-challans to the vehicle owners.

The app is now available for download on the Google Play Store and includes options to share evidence directly with the relevant MVD control room. Developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), this initiative is part of Kerala's 100-day action plan. The launch comes at a crucial time as the government seeks to involve citizens actively in enforcing traffic rules.

Odisha introduced the same

Kerala is not alone in this effort; Odisha's Transport Department has also introduced a similar system called Citizen Sentinel, linked with the mParivahan app. Additionally, Kerala's Public Works Department previously launched the PWD4U app in 2021 to report poor road conditions. The state has further developed traffic management with AI-based cameras developed by Keltron, which detect around 6.8 million violations annually, in collaboration with SRIT India Pvt. in Bengaluru.