Gandhinagar, Oct 26 : Citizens in Gujarat no longer need to make repeated visits to police stations to know the status of their complaints. Through the I-PRAGATI initiative -- Intelligent Progress Reporting and Grievance Addressing through Technology Initiative -- the state government is providing real-time case updates directly to complainants via SMS.

Since its launch on May 14, I-PRAGATI has sent millions of SMS updates to citizens across the state, ensuring timely and accurate information. The system not only saves citizens from multiple police station visits but also helps officers focus more on investigation rather than administrative queries, according to official information shared on Sunday.

Launched in May by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and DGP Vikas Sahay, the system aims to make the police process more transparent, efficient, and citizen-friendly.

The initiative automatically sends SMS alerts to complainants at every key stage of their case -- including FIR registration, panchanama, notices, arrests, bail updates, recovery of property, and charge-sheet filing.

Officials said the initiative has strengthened public trust in the police by introducing transparency and accountability at every stage of the legal process. It also creates a digital record of all updates, allowing senior officials to monitor cases more effectively.

According to the government, the I-PRAGATI initiative offers several tangible benefits to citizens. It promotes greater transparency and trust by providing direct updates that enhance public confidence in the police system. The system also improves time efficiency, saving citizens the effort and inconvenience of repeatedly visiting police stations for case-related information.

Through automatic SMS alerts, complainants receive timely notifications at every key stage of their case, ensuring that no development goes unnoticed. Moreover, the consistent flow of updates instils a sense of security among citizens, reassuring them that their cases are being actively pursued by the authorities. The I-PRAGATI initiative marks a major step towards citizen-centric governance and technological innovation in policing.

/IANS