Aarogya Setu App Is 'Mandatory' for Train engers 5f1a6c Says Ministry of Railways

Aarogya Setu app has been installed on 9.8 crore smartphones so far and is used by the government for tracing. 1d6t6n

By Press Trust of India | Updated: 12 May 2020 14:21 IST

Aarogya Setu App Is 'Mandatory' for Train engers, Says Ministry of Railways

Highlights

Aarogya Setu was made mandatory on special trains in a late night notice
Railways had earlier only advised angers to install the application
engers who do not have the app might be asked to install on arrival

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The Indian Railways, which had on Monday "advised" the engers availing the special trains that started operating from Tuesday to install the government's Aarogya Setu mobile application, has now made it "mandatory" to do so. 4m5b3k

However, officials said any "exception" will be decided on a "case-to-case basis", but did not rule out disallowing engers who do not have the Aarogya Setu app installed on their mobile phones.

While the guidelines issued by the railways for the 15 pairs of special trains running between Delhi and major cities of the country did not say installing the mobile app was mandatory, a late night (12:24 am) tweet by the railway ministry made it compulsory.

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"Indian Railways is going to start few enger train services. It is mandatory for engers to Aarogya Setu app in their mobile phones, before commencing their journey," the tweet said.
Railways Spokesperson RD Bajpai confirmed that the app is now mandatory for travel and said since a mobile phone number is also compulsory to book tickets online, all engers will have to carry mobile phones with them.

Indian Railways is going to start few enger trains services. It is mandatory for engers to Aarogya Setu app in their mobile phones, before commencing their journey

this app now -

Android : https://t.co/bpfHKNLHmD
IOS : https://t.co/aBvo2Uc1fQ pic.twitter.com/MRvP8QBVPU
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) May 11, 2020

"engers should come to the station after installing the Aarogya Setu app and it is mandatory for travel. The railways has made it compulsory and the engers should install it for their own safety. Since all engers carry mobile phones, this should not be an issue. Also, we will provide the engers with all the help needed to use the app," he said.

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Officials, however, said if a enger does not have a mobile phone, a decision will be taken on a "case-to-case basis", adding that it is unlikely that someone travelling on a Rajdhani train will not have a phone.

"We did not make this app compulsory on the special trains for migrants," Bajpai said.

Sources said installing the app was made mandatory after a Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) missive, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with chief ministers on Monday.

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engers, who do not have the app installed on their mobile phones, might be asked to do so after their arrival at the station, they added.

The government coronavirus.

Until recently, only smartphone s were able to use the app to get updates on whether they had unknowingly come in with a COVID-19 positive person and could contract the virus. Subsequently, to cover feature phones and landline connections, the government launched the Aarogya Setu Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS).

The IVRS is available across the country as a toll-free service, where a feature phone and landline will need to give a missed call to the number 1921 and will get a return call, requesting for inputs regarding their health.

The questions asked are aligned with the Aarogya Setu app and based on the responses given by the caller. The caller will get a text message indicating his health status and alerts for his health moving forward.

The government has said the inputs provided by the citizens will be made part of the Aarogya Setu app database.

The information provided will be processed to send alerts on the actions need to be taken to ensure safety.

The Aarogya Setu app has been COVID-19.

Civil society groups have raised privacy-related concerns as regards the use of the app, which the government has denied.

The MHA has also said installing the mobile app will be a must for those living in the COVID-19 containment zones.

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