Budding techies to develop 'Mitra' mobile app for KSRTC commuters

110 students from different engg colleges to participate

To become commuter-friendly and to encourage budding engineers to develop mobile applications, Mysuru division of the Karnataka State Road Transport (KSRTC) has come up with a novel idea.

The public transport operator is developing a mobile app ‘Mitra’. For this, the KSRTC has roped-in engineering students from various colleges and has organised a competition ‘Mobile Appathon’ to develop a mobile application. A week-long competition begins at Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE), here, on Saturday.

Over 110 students from various engineering colleges in the city have come forward to take up the challenge. The KSRTC will provide all facilities for the students to work on the application and the best mobile app will be adopted. The KSRTC has asked the contestants to develop the app with details like bus routes, arriving and departing time, fare, bus stops and other details, which will help passengers to access the public transport service with ease.

KSRTC General Manager (Traffic) K S Vishwanath said, “The best app will be adopted and awarded. The KSRTC had received various tenders from private players to develop an app, but, the corporation wants to encourage budding engineers to pursue innovative work.”

All info in one app“The KSRTC has gathered huge data to study the problems and issues with the public transport system and the data will be provided to the contestants. According to the authorities, reliability of service, comfort and information are the three major components to attract commuter towards public transport. ‘Mitra’ will definitely work because almost 70 per cent people in the age group of 15 to 44 years use smartphones,” says Maqsood Ahmed, Intelligent Transport System (ITS) Officer. 

At present, KSRTC is providing static data to passengers through ITS (Incompatible Timesharing System) and with Mitra, it will provide dynamic data about the fare, route, fare for senior citizens and other information, he added.

SJCE principal Syed Shakeeb Ur Rahman said, “The initiative will definitely work and also motivate budding engineers to take up innovative projects. Many Indian cities face traffic congestion, which affects the physical and psychological health of commuters, and worsens air and noise pollution.”

“The traffic problem is also a threat to the economic and social development of the country and traffic management has always been an issue for the policy makers.

The smart traffic management will surely bring solutions for traffic woes,” he said.

The principal said that according to a study, 75 per cent of people depend on public transport and support electronic ticketing system and 92 per cent people welcome paperless travel.

Raman V Krishnan of World Bank, Tata Consultancy Services general manager Subramanya, KSRTC Mysuru Divisional Controller Ramamurthy and others were present.