India’s addresses are a mess. Different formats, 22 languages, and PIN codes that don’t line up with district boundaries cause delayed deliveries, e-commerce returns, slower emergency responses, and hamper welfare delivery. The Department of Posts aims to solve this with DHRUVA, a digital system for “Address as a Service” (AaaS). DHRUVA uses Digital Address Identifiers (DAI), incorporating DIGIPIN codes that pinpoint 4x4 meter grids.
The proposed changes to the Post Office Act, 2023 set up a framework to check if these digital addresses match real places. The Central Government approves “Authorised Address Validation Agencies” (AVAs) which include ministries, government bodies, Indian companies, or others it chooses. AVAs must meet strict rules on technology, security, costs, and processes.
While checks will only happen with user permission each time, the amendments say that the process will be triggered each time a DAI is created or used. Inevitably, this would lead to consent fatigue.
The verification process checks for whether DAI-linked details match physical spots, such as building types or door numbers. However, the verification, it is claimed, will not be used to prove who lives there or owns the place.
To link digital info to real-world details, AVAs would use these methods (based on expected rules):
- Verification against DIGIPIN’s public database
- Use OCR on bills, rentals, or city records to confirm details.
- Postmen or drones inspect areas like slums or multi-tenant structures with photos and GPS
- Apps query Post Office data for trust scores on the address
Before critiquing the process itself, it is key to question why such extensive verifications may even be required. Most public service delivery systems already have methods for address verification in place. Expanding the scope of such verification to simply use one’s address is overkill.
Secondly, only Indian or government groups can run AVAs. The main problem India faces is that of a lack of state capacity. Even assuming that such address verification may be necessary, limiting organisations that can carry out the process reinvents the problem.
Rolling out such significant changes to a country’s address system, which is fundamental to access all services, would require massive awareness programmes. DHRUVA’s implementation across urban and rural areas would also require different methods depending upon the availability of resources. How this may be carried out and how successful it may be, remains to be seen.