BMTC finally launches app with real-time info on buses

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (

BMTC

) on Tuesday launched its MyBMTC

mobile app

, which provides real-time information on the utility’s buses and operations.

The app has been developed by 15-year-old Nihar Thakkar.

Thakkar had earlier developed his own

app

, Track BMTC buses in real-time, to provide info on bus operations. TOI had on July 7, 2019 published a report — BMTC shows door to teen whose bus app a hit among passengers — highlighting how BMTC had blocked Thakkar’s access to its data. The two parties have since buried the hatchet.

The latest

beta version

of the app was launched by corporation chairman NS Nandiesha Reddy and managing director C Shikha at the utility headquarters in Shantinagar.

The features of the new app include intimation on estimated time of arrival of buses at stops, trip planner that enables commuters plan their journey from origin and destination, nearby stop options, route-based search options and favourites options.

BMTC officials said the new app is available in Google Play Store. “We will come up with additional features by January-end. It will also soon be made available in the iOS app store,” said an official.

The app is likely to bring relief to passengers endlessly waiting for buses and unable to access real-time data. “It will be more accurate and faster than the previous one,” said an official.

An earlier BMTC app launched in 2016 and based on GPS fitted on its 6,400-odd buses was riddled with technical glitches.