JEDDAH — Indian Consul General Mohd. Shahid Alam on Monday launched an exclusive app that would enable the community to stay connected with the mission in Jeddah even while on the move. It is a veritable one-stop help desk that the community could avail to interact, from a distance, with the Consulate while seeking solutions to their problems. The Consulate app, named as CGI Jeddah — after the Consulate General of India, Jeddah, has been designed and developed taking inspiration from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a digitally empowered India. “This is basically the reason for this app being developed. Now with more and more people using smartphones, it really gave me an idea that instead of relying on website, and physical means why can’t we move into a domain in which the people are familiar with,” Alam said soon after launching the app at the CGI auditorium. “It will play a very significant role in further enabling the Consulate to extend its outreach to vast Indian community in the Western part of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Alam said, while adding, “The app’s exclusive features will augment connectivity and our services.” “The app has been developed in the last two weeks by the CGI. The app is ready and we have requested Apple (iOS) and Google (Play Store) to review and place it in their list,” he added. Following Monday’s formal launch, the consul general said, the app will be available on iOS and Play Store in a week. “When we informed our ministry (External Affairs) about this initiative that would get more and more Indians connected in the Kingdom, they readily acquiesced and that was our go ahead. Today we have a message from Minister of State for External Affairs V. Murleedharan and we are sharing the message with you’ll,” Alam said. In his video messages on the launch of the app and the minister emphasized that it will, inter-alia, be very useful especially during the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. “I am delighted to note that the app will enhance the quality of the delivery of services and will be a useful app during this COVID pandemic. It will not only enable a quick connection with the Consulate but also further enhance the services offered to the Indian community in the Western region of the Kingdom. “The app provides lots of information about passports, visa and other services. Besides the app has exclusive navigation features connecting the consulate and the passports centers, and you can contact the consulate in an emergency. I hope the users will benefit from this app,” Murleedharan said in his message. Alam, during the launch, highlighted the major features of the app. “It has several utility features including information and links related to passport, visa and community welfare services. It also has an exclusive navigational feature, linked with Google Map, which will assist the user to reach to the Consulate or its various passport centers in Tabuk, Makkah and Abha easily,” Alam said. “In addition, it also has an Emergency Dial option which will connect the user with the Consulate, 24x7, in rendering prompt services in case of any exigencies. “All the important information related to passport, visa and community welfare, including guidelines for workers, procedure to register labor complaints, labor laws of the Kingdom, and registration of Indian nationals, are provided in the app,” he added. The consul general said this initiative is the first of the many the Consulate hopes to roll out in order to provide quality service to the community in ease. “We will be upgrading the app as time goes on, providing extra links and improving it while also working out the bugs and problems following the community’s feedback,” Alam said. When asked will the existing Haj app of the Consulate be linked to this new app to help the Indians performing Hajj avail the mission’s service, Alam said, “Yes, we will be working on this in order to seamlessly link the two apps such that it benefits increasing number of the community.” The CGI is committed to further enhance welfare measures for the Indian community living in the Western part of the Kingdom based on the prime minister’s vision of a developed India, he said. The app is available for download and installation at CGI Jeddah website – www.cgijeddah.gov.in and http://cgijeddah.com/cgijeddah.apk