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Indian Government Says 'Aarogya Setu' App Will Soon Provide e-Passes to Locked-Down Citizens

© AP Photo / Ajit SolankiFILE- In this April 30, 2014 file photo, India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi holds his party's symbol and looks into his phone after casting his vote in Ahmadabad, India
FILE- In this April 30, 2014 file photo, India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi holds his party's symbol and looks into his phone after casting his vote in Ahmadabad, India - Sputnik International
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New Delhi (Sputnik): In a bid to alert Indians when they are at high risks of contracting coronavirus, India’s government has released a mobile app called “Aarogya Setu”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urging more people to use the app which has already been downloaded over 60 million times.

In a bid to further push downloads of Aarogya Setu, the government is soon expected to roll out a new feature which would allow app users to get e-passes for venturing out amid the lockdown. A newly added “e-pass” tab on the app hints at the upcoming development.

​Under the nationwide lockdown which was announced on 25 March, people are only allowed to go outside their houses to purchase essential goods and medicines. To avoid getting into legal trouble for violating the lockdown orders, Indians have been relying on e-passes before leaving their houses.

To obtain the e-pass, Indians have to provide basic information about them and their company along with the nature and location of their work. On providing the information, the e-pass feature on the Aarogya Setu app generates a six digit unique identification number.

The pass also lets authorities know if the holder is in another location other than the one mentioned while filling in the details.

Earlier last week, while celebrating the 40th anniversary of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Prime Minister Modi urged party workers to make at least 40 people install the application. 

​The app requires the user to allow it to access the phone number, location and Bluetooth connectivity feature in order to calculate the user’s safety status.

​Currently, the number of positive coronavirus cases has reached 17,265, the federal ministry of health and family welfare has noted. While 2,547 COVID-19 patients have recovered, 543 have succumbed to the virus and died.

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