The authorities in Bilaspurdistrict of Chhattisgarh have launched a mobile application for doorstep delivery of essentials during the COVID-19 lockdown, a senior civic official said on Tuesday.Bilaspur municipal commissioner Prabhakar Pandey said the service was aimed at ensuring that people remain indoors during the lockdown, which has been extended till May 3.'Fatafat - easy home delivery' app, which was launched on Monday, was already receiving a good response in Bilaspur town, he said.The district administration and the civic body created the app in collaboration with a software company, he said.Citizens can download the app on their smartphones and order groceries, medicines and dairy products from shops of their choice in their vicinity, Pandey said, adding that a ward-wise list of shops will be available on the platform.Shopkeepers will have to arrange for home delivery, but in case they need help, volunteers appointed by the municipal corporation would be deployed for the purpose, he said.Orders can be placed on the app from 8 am to 10 am and deliveries will be made till 2 pm on the same day, while orders placed after 10 am will be delivered by 12 noon the next day, the senior official said.Both cash-on-delivery and online payment options are available on the app and no extra charges are levied for home delivery, he added.The application will benefit many during the lockdown, especially senior citizens who live alone, the official said.
