Odisha Techie Creates App To Make Workplaces Safer After Kolkata Rape-Murder

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of Kolkata rape and murder of a trainee doctor, a software professional in Odisha’s Berhampur—Chandan Rout— has developed an application to enhance the security of employees in a company.

Virtual boundary on campus

The application creates a virtual boundary around the workplace by geo-fencing the area and track’s his or her entry and exit. It also helps in real-time location tracking of the employees within the geo-fenced area. Not just in the online mode, but it can also work offline due to integration of beacons in it, says Rout.  And the maintenance of such an app will cost only Rs 12 a month for each employee.

Soon after reports of the Kolkata doctor’s rape surfaced triggering a massive outcry about safety of women at workplace, Rout—who was disturbed with such developments—started working on the application. In barely 20 days, he came up with this application as part of an individual effort.

I-card with emergency button

“This app can be used for emergency response. It can receive alerts and notifications in case of emergencies, enabling swift response,” he explains. Each employee will have a special identity card with an emergency button, connected to the application. “Whenever the employee will press the emergency button on the I-card, alert will be sent to three numbers that have been stored for each employee. While one of these numbers will be of the administration staff, the other two will depend upon whose details the employee wants to integrate,” he says. This app can also help in human resource management of any company or institute.

Parents can track students’ movements on campus

“This application can also be used in educational institutes. Whenever a student enters his or her educational institute, parents will be notified. At the time of exit also parents will get the intimation. Parents will be able to track how long was the ward at the school or college,” he says. Presently, the app is in the testing phase.

Identify high-risk zones within company premises

The application will also designate high-risk areas within the workplace and receive alerts when employees or students enter these zones. “Among the other features is a man-down alert. If an employee is incapacitated or unresponsive, it will automatically send an alert to the administration,” says Rout, who is a postgraduate in computer science.