New app becomes largest platform for purchase of kitchen items in Islamabad.

Byline: Kalbe Ali

ISLAMABAD -- Within two months, DurustDaam has not only become a key tool for residents of Islamabad to know the official rates of essential kitchen items but has also become the largest platform for purchase of green groceries.

The mobile app was launched in mid-October by the capital administration in a bid to plug market manipulations mainly by fruit and vegetable traders.

Initially, the idea was to disseminate official rates of kitchen items to the citizens with the option of lodging complaints against price hike. But the active response from the residents encouraged the administration to upgrade it.

The app helps the residents to have an update on a daily basis regarding rates of essential commodities, including grains, pulses, meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables.

DurustDaam was launched in October to inform about official rates of essential commodities

'There are around 15,000 visits at the app daily but the success now is that about 100 purchase orders daily come from the app,' said Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat.

Currently, there are two companies that deliver orders placed at the DurustDaam app - 'Fowrry' and 'Sabzimandi'. They have been shortlisted by the market committee of the capital to provide fruits and vegetables at notified rates.

'Payment is made on delivery and if the buyer feels that the product was different from the perceived quality at the time of placing the order they can refuse to take the delivery,' Mr Shafqaat added.

An official of the Islamabad administration said the general formula was that if the rate of any item is Rs120 per kilogramme in Sabzi Mandi the retailers should sell it between Rs145 and 160 per kg.

'But the consumers usually end up paying around Rs180-Rs220 per kg and there is nothing to keep a check on around 20,000 shops because there are only seven...