South Western Railway Fraternity Downloads-AAROGYA SETU APP to Prevent Spread of COVID-19
South Western Railway Fraternity Downloads-AAROGYA SETU APP to Prevent Spread of COVID-19
91.6 % OF SWR RAILWAY FRATERNITY DOWNLOADS “AAROGYA SETUAPP” TO PREVENT SPREAD OF COVID -19
The Covid-19 pandemic has been affecting many countries, infecting thousands all over the country. Prevention is the only answer to this pandemic, till a vaccine for the virus is developed. To prevent the spread of the virus, lockdown was announced from 25th Mar. and was extended and citizens were requested to maintain social distancing, staying at home and maintaining personal hygiene.
Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi during his address to the nation, while announcing the extended phase of the lockdown, requested the citizens of India to download and use the “Aarogya Setu App” application to combat spread of the coronavirus.
Aarogya Setu, is a mobile app developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT which does the work of tracking the virus and help citizens identify their risk of contacting Covid-19 virus. The App is one of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India’s initiatives towards Digital India for the health and well-being of every Indian.
As per the directives of Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Railway fraternity on SWR have responded and downloaded “Arogya Setu App” in their fight against the spread of Covid -19. Shri Suresh Angadi, Hon’ble Minister of State of Railways has also requested Railway employees, their families and friends to download the app to flatten the curve and prevent spread of Covid-19 virus.
On SWR out of 35,082 employees 91% of them i.e., 34,510 have downloaded the App and using them to track for areas /persons tested positive with Covid-19 virus.In addition to the employees, spouses, children and family members of the employees have also downloaded the App to track areas/persons with Covid-19 virus.93% out of 10,469 employees of Bengaluru Division, 90% out of 11,800 employees of Hubballi Division, 95 % of 6,250 employees of Mysuru Division and 88 % out of 6,563 employees of Headquarters have downloaded the app over SWR.
Employees and their families were also requested to follow precautions by wearing mask, maintaining social distancing, staying at home and maintain personal hygiene to prevent spread of Covid-19 virus.In post lockdown phase this App will turn out to be extremely beneficial. Through this “Arogya Setu App” contact-tracing will be easier as Government can help people to contain a potential resurgence of the virus as people resume regular activities.The data is shared only with the government and the app does not allow name and number of the person to be publicly disclosed.
The app is available both on Google Play and Apple App Store. It is available in 11 languages and designed to keep a user informed in case he/she has crossed paths with someone who has tested positive. The tracking is done through a Bluetooth & location-generated social graph, which can show your interaction with anyone who has tested positive.
This app can be downloaded from the android Google playstore/iOS app store as below:
Android: https:/play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nic.goi.arogyasetu iOS: itms-apps://itunes.apple.com/app/id505825357 Guide to using Arogay Setu app:
Once you download the “Aarogya Setu App”, you will have to choose your language and undergo a small registration process that requires your mobile number as under:
1. After you’ve run the app, allow it to access your device’s location, as prompted.
2. You’ll get an OTP, enter it and you are on.
3. Choose your gender from the options given.
4. Enter your full name, then age, and then profession, as asked.
- Once the app is downloaded a self assessment test is taken as follows:
- Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms – Cough, fever, Difficulty in breathing, None of the above.
- Have you ever had any of the following – Diabetes, Hypertension, Lung disease, Heart disease, None of the above.
- Have you travelled anywhere internationally in the last 14 days – Yes, No.
- Which of the following apply to you
- I have recently interacted or lived with someone who has tested positive for Covid -19
- I am a healthcare worker and I examined a Covid-19 confirmed case without protective gear
- None of the above
- After replying to the above self assessment, the App will give the Risk status level shown in colours – Green (safe), Yellow (high risk).
Aarogya Setu app will be tracking your vicinity as long as you are sharing your location. The best thing about the app is that it has access to the government’s database of known coronavirus cases. It directly alerts you with a notification if you come, even unknowingly near to an infected person.
Aarogya Setu app also contains a chatbot which helps users to understand all the symptoms of coronavirus and answer their queries. The app also offers rolling updates from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the coronavirus pandemic.
Here’s the verified and up-to-date overview of how the South Western Railway (SWR) fraternity overwhelmingly adopted the Aarogya Setu app to help curb the spread of COVID‑19:
Contents
✅ SWR Rolling Out Aarogya Setu for Staff
- A SWR press release dated 28 April 2020 confirmed that 91.6% of its workforce—34,510 out of 35,082 employees—had downloaded the Aarogya Setu mobile app within a few days of its launch.
This high adoption rate was seen as a major step in preventing COVID‑19 transmission within the railway community. - District breakdown:
- Bengaluru Division: 93% installed
- Hubballi Division: 90%
- Mysuru Division: 95%
- SWR Headquarters staff: 88%
🧭 Why It Was Significant
- This rapid adoption came after directives from the Railway Board, which urged that all serving and retired employees (and family members) install the app within 24 hours to boost contact tracing databases.
- The app served as a tool for maintaining social distancing awareness: it uses Bluetooth to alert rail staff when they come too close to another app user. This was especially helpful in congested workplace settings like crew rooms and offices.
🗣️ Leadership & Communication
- The initiative was endorsed by Shri Suresh Angadi, then MoS for Railways, who encouraged employees, their families, and even friends to download the app for safeguarding both health and travel safety.
- Divisional Railway Manager of Mysuru, Aparna Garg, emphasized the app’s role in risk awareness and urged staff to reach 100% compliance within days.
📋 Quick Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Internal Download Rate | ~91.6% (34,510 of 35,082 SWR employees) |
| Divisional Uptake | Bengaluru ~93%, Hubballi ~90%, Mysuru ~95% |
| Purpose | Contact tracing, proximity alerts, awareness |
| Leadership Messaging | Senior officers urged compliance within 24 hours |
| Social distancing aid | Bluetooth-based alerts to avoid close contact |
🧠 Broader Context
- Indian Railways, among other government bodies, mandated the app for staff and recommended it for passengers across lockdown and post-lockdown phases.
- Ministry officials believed widespread usage among staff and family members would help protect both internal operations and traveler interactions.
✅ Conclusion
The South Western Railway (SWR) demonstrated exceptional internal compliance in adopting Aarogya Setu early in the pandemic. With over 90% download rates across divisions and active promotion by leadership, SWR set a precedent within Indian Railways for digital contact tracing and social distancing reinforcement.
Let me know if you’d like insights on how other railway zones adopted the app, specific timelines, or internal communications on enforcement.