Coimbatore Police unveil ‘Kovai Digi Cop’ WhatsApp chatbot for citizen services. NHAI reports progress on the Chennai-Maduravoyal corridor, set for 2027. Cops also probe cyber scams in Coimbatore that defrauded residents of over ₹1 crore.
Coimbatore Police Launch ‘Kovai Digi Cop’ Chatbot
The Coimbatore District Police introduced ‘Kovai Digi Cop,’ a new WhatsApp-based chatbot designed to provide citizens with easy digital access to various police services and emergency assistance. ‘Kovai Digi Cop’ is a first-of-its-kind chatbot aimed at providing easy digital access for the public.
Coimbatore: SP K Karthikeyan, while speaking to the reporters, said, “Today, Coimbatore District Police has launched a WhatsApp chatbot service for citizens, named Covaidigicop. You can see the number 9840091100. This is the number people can save in their contact list and send a message with ‘HI’ to this number. There will be two language options available, and whichever language option they choose, they will be provided with 9 verticals of services… Additionally, people can pay their traffic challans with a single click. Other options include cybercrime-related services, traffic challans, verifying the authenticity of mobile phones, and blocking your cell phone…”
Chennai-Maduravoyal Corridor Project Progress
On the other hand, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that the construction of the new 4-lane, double-tier elevated corridor from Chennai Port to Maduravoyal, being built at a cost of over ₹3,500 crore, is progressing in full swing and is scheduled for completion by November 2027. Originally initiated in 2010 but terminated in 2016, this vital infrastructure project was restarted in 2023 following requests from the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Chennai Port Trust, guided by a technical committee. The 20.9 km-long corridor is uniquely designed with two levels to efficiently segregate different types of traffic. The lower tier is dedicated exclusively to local city traffic and features 13 ramps at key locations to ease congestion on surface roads along the Cooum River between the beach and Koyambedu. These strategic ramps will significantly improve mobility, with key entry and exit points located at Sivananda Salai, College Road, Spur Tank Road, and Koyambedu. Upon completion, the corridor will provide seamless 24/7 highway connectivity, significantly boosting the Chennai Port’s cargo handling capacity from the current 53 million tonnes (MTPA) to an estimated 200 MTPA by 2047.
Coimbatore Grapples With Major Cyber Scams
Earlier, in March, the Tamil Nadu Police registered FIRs against unidentified fraudsters for allegedly siphoning off over ₹1 crore from several residents of Coimbatore through a series of cyber scams. In one instance, a retired government employee residing in Singanallur was cheated of ₹19 lakh. The victim received a video call on January 13 from a stranger claiming her name was linked to a 206-count scam involving the CEO of a private airline. Threatening her with a “digital arrest,” the fraudsters coerced her into sharing her bank account details and passwords under the guise of verifying transactions.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)