BENGALURU: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has sought the services of two private companies to develop an application through which commuters can book an autorickshaw or a cab along with a Metro ticket on their phones.
BMRCL Managing Director Anjum Parwez told TNIE that multi-modal urban mobility platform Citility and Giz India, which had set up the city’s first Green Urban Mobility Innovation Living Lab in Bengaluru in association with Bosch, have been asked to develop the app. “It is at a nascent stage and we have explained our requirements to them. They will take some months to come up with it, but as soon as one of those is ready with it, we will launch it immediately for commuters.”
A BMRCL official confirmed that Giz has been working on it as a pilot project. “The idea is that the app will link third parties so that autorickshaws or cabs can be booked when the commuter is at home, ahead of taking the Metro ride. Various options are being discussed to realise the project,” the official said. Directorate of Urban Land Transport Commissioner V Manjula also confirmed to TNIE that Giz India, which was working on addressing the city’s transportation issues, was working on such a project.
Asked if Namma Metro app would become redundant if tickets were to be booked using the new app, Parwez said. “The passengers will not be aware of the processing but it will make use of our app,” he said.