In order to provide smooth first- and last-mile connectivity for commuters, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) have now opened up their transport data, enabling two apps, Namma Yatri and Tummoc. For more than ten years, this requirement has been in place.
Users of both apps may now purchase a single ticket that covers the full trip and organise their entire travel thanks to new capabilities. For example, a commuter can use either application to plan their route and purchase a single ticket for the full trip if they are required to use all three forms of transportation (autorickshaw, bus, and metro).
The apps create a synchronised travel schedule by using real-time data from buses and metro trains that run along the commuter’s route. Although real timing may be impacted by variables like traffic, this ideally enables commuters to access each public transport option right after disembarking from the previous one.
Why it got Delayed?
The fact that BMTC and BMRCL had not made their data publicly available was a barrier to the development of this function. However, this has since been resolved via the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS), a widely accepted open data standard for public transportation that contains stop, route, and schedule information.
BMTC has been supplying the platform with static data thus far, but it intends to start sharing real-time data shortly. At the moment, Namma Yatri provides trip planning that combines metro lines with auto-rickshaw services.
Tummoc has begun the services, but Namma Yatri has not yet gone live. Along with comparable capabilities, Tummoc lets users monitor how much carbon emissions they reduce by opting for public transit rather than driving a private vehicle.
After winning the Enroute: A Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) Challenge, which was organised by WRI, Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), and Villgro, Tummoc and Namma Yatri collaborated to develop these functionalities and were awarded a INR 30 lakh grant in August 2024.
In Bengaluru, Every Minute is Important-Kharge
Minister of Electronics, IT, BT, Rural Development, and Panchayat Raj Priyank M. Kharge underlined the significance of these measures in tackling last-mile connection problems. In Bengaluru, travel is measured in hours rather than kilometres. “We recognise the issue and are dedicated to finding a solution,” he stated.
With a 12% growth rate last year, Bengaluru is among the cities with the fastest rates of urbanisation in the world. “The city loses an estimated INR 20,000 crore annually as a result of lost time in traffic, which has a direct impact on production. Projections show we will grow by 8.5% annually over the next decade,” he added.
He asserted that, in contrast, Delhi and Mumbai reportedly lose INR 60,000 crore and INR 40,000 crore yearly, respectively. Kharge added that the government wants to see 70% of the city’s population use public transit by 2030, compared to the current percentage of less than 50%.
In light of this, he stated that the introduction of these integrated elements is a big step in promoting the broader use of public transit.
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