Kerala launches new app to regulate tipplers; users complain glitches in "BevQ"

Thiruvananthapuram: Over two months after liquor outlets in Kerala were closed due to the nationwide COVID-19 induced lockdown, the liquor outlets opened across the state on Thursday, May 28, using a new app to regulate customers.

“Using the mobile app, people will receive an e-token to book the time slot to visit the nearest outlet and this would reduce the crowds seen earlier,” State Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan said

The new application, ‘BevQ’, was made available on Play store from Wednesday evening and over 1 Lakh people downloaded it so far.

The experience with using the app seems not so smooth as several users who downloaded the app complained glitches.

Many users claimed that they could not complete the registration processes as the One Time Password failed to get generated. Some users alleged that the interface of the app is not user friendly.

The ratings of the app are 2.4/5 with more than 13,000 reviews as of Thursday morning, with majority people complaining of the glitches in the app.

The state-run liquor outlets and other bar and beer and wine shops were closed since March 24, when the center declared nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19.