Eight police e-kiosks may become operational by Feb 14

Not just to lodge complaints, the facilities can also be used to pay mobile, electricity and other utility bills

Lodging police complaints may soon become a process requiring minimum effort as Lucknow smart city officials said police e-kiosks would soon come up at eight key intersections of the city. The smart city project is set to come to fruition four years after it was originally mooted.

“The e-kiosks at Tedipulia (Alambagh), Lal Batti Crossing, Dubagga Crossing, Parivartan Chowk, Sahara Tiraha, Heinemann Chauraha (Gomti Nagar), Ahimamau and Janeshwar Mishra Park will become fully operational by the second week of February,” said SC Singh, general manager of Lucknow Smart City Project. “At present, the ones at Parivartan Chowk and Lal Batti are partly operational even as the testing of other kiosks is underway. The facilities will be opened in two phases,” he added.

Just like how an ATM works

The air-conditioned kiosks will be operational 24/7. They will have a computer screen, similar to that of an ATM kiosk, which can be used to lodge not just complaints and access e-FIR facility, but also to pay mobile, electricity and other bills. Two-three cops will be deployed at each of these kiosks to assist people. “Initially, they will be handled by police. Later, they will be given to traffic cops,” Singh added.

The said project was first proposed in 2019 when the officials wanted to set up 14 suck kiosks. “The project was put on a backtrack due to the Covid-19 situation in the following year... The kiosks will now become operational before February 14,” Singh said.