PANAJI:
Citizens will now be able to ‘pin’ traffic hazards, potholes, water bodies, heritage sites, recyclers and more on a virtual map, thanks to an innovative app – PinIt.
PinIt is a collaborative effort of ActforGoa, a collaborative platform enabling people to actively participate in creating a sustainable future for Goa, and Nine Stack, a Goa-based application development firm. Pooling their technical skills, love of Goa and on ground sustainable development knowledge and outreach, the team have created an app that supports and encourages people’s participation in sustainable progress and rural/urban planning in the state.
Explains Jill Ferguson, a founding member at Act for Goa, “ PinIt allows users to crowdsource data on issues or assets from within their neighborhood, and engage with residents from across villages in Goa. From pothole ridden roads to garbage black spots (issues) and heritage sites, football grounds, parks, or recyclers (assets), PinIt allows residents to ‘pin’ everything they cherish and are concerned about from within their community . Village panchayats, Line ministries, individuals and organisations can all access the mapped data for strategic planning and the betterment of the state .”
Goa based technology firm Nine Stack with a client based in Europe worked along with Act for Goa to design and build the app. Said Aaron Fernandez, serial entrepreneur and Founder of Nine Stack, “Act for Goa and Nine Stack have a shared vision for Goa which involves greater participation of the community in mapping and planning the spaces they live in. The PinIt app empowers every citizen to play an active role in this process. Aesthetics and ease-of-use were the key elements kept in mind while building this app”.
The company builds cloud-based apps and offers technology-based solutions to meet the business needs of corporate entities.
Act for Goa is collaborating with Cecille Rodrigues’ Rosto Campaign which highlights the pothole menace, a subject which dominates social discourse especially during the monsoons. Cecille will be embarking on a campaign to get citizens to ‘’pin’ potholes and traffic hazards in their locality onto the app. Data generated will allow interested organisations to be able to analyse the mapped information.
PinIt is designed to help concerned citizens from all across the state understand land usage, identify places, organizations, or professionals that can help them and their community, as well as crowd source issues that need to be fixed at the community level. It can also help villages in their village development planning process.
