The Bidhannagar Commissionerate is encouraging the use of an app to reduce the crowd in pandals.

The app, which went live on Google Playstore on Wednesday evening, is called QU.

“This year, the Covid situation is such that we need to restrict the number of visitors inside the pandal to ensure social distancing. The app would allow controlled crowd management,” said Dhritiman Sarkar, deputy commissioner, traffic.

A puja committee needs to register after downloading the app and post a volunteer each at the entry and the exit of the pandal. They will update the app about the number of people going in and coming out. The app will keep track of the number of people inside. The figure can be tracked by the police to stall visitor entry for some time, if needed, Sarkar pointed out.

It can also be used by pandal-hoppers to check if a chosen pandal is crowded — an arrow on a meter points to a green, orange or red band, depending on whether the pandal is empty, moderately crowded or full — and help decide on the time of visit.

The app also offers bookings for slots during anjali and sindoor khela. “We added this after the chief minister suggested doing them in batches. The booking has to be made on the day,” said Lalima Chakrabarty of PhoneQ Tech, which has developed the app.

She and Rachit Mehrotra thought of the idea in March when social distancing became necessary. A start was made with managing customer queues in medical stores and electronic goods stores. “Then we approached the Bidhannagar Police and it was suggested that we create provisions for puja pandal crowd management,” she added.

The developers are talking to the big pujas to bring them on board. “Though our focus is the Bidhannagar area, we have also enlisted Chetla Agrani, Ahiritola, Chorbagan etc.”

Several local pujas have agreed to use it. She mentioned AA, AB, AC, BA and CD blocks in Salt Lake and Tarun Sangha and Bharat Chakra in Dum Dum Park. “Our target is 200 pujas,” she said.