After facing long delays, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Namma Metro have finally decided to open up their real-time transit data. This move is expected to facilitate the development of innovative applications by leveraging real-time data from both BMTC buses and Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL).
BMTC Managing Director R Ramachandran confirmed to Moneycontrol that they are in the process of migrating the vehicle tracking application to the Karnataka State Data Centre (KSDC). Once the deployment is complete, they plan to open up their transit data. Similarly, a senior BMRCL official stated that they have decided to open up real-time transit data along with BMTC.
Both BMTC and BMRCL will upload the globally accepted transit data standard named General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) on a common portal. This initiative aims to enhance user experience, increase BMTC’s ridership, and enable efficient mobility solutions in Bengaluru.
BMTC will initially share GTFS (static data) and is expected to provide real-time data by July-August. The opening up of dynamic data is anticipated to enable innovations in the ecosystem and improve accessibility for non-users, integrating seamlessly with other applications for hassle-free commuting.
To further promote innovation in mobility solutions, a hackathon named ‘Enroute Challenge’ will be conducted on June 12. This initiative, led by non-governmental organizations such as WRI India, Villgro, and Mercedes Benz Research & Development India, aims to develop Mobility as a Service (MaaS) applications leveraging BMTC and BMRCL open data.
The decision to open up real-time transit data comes after years of delays and challenges faced by BMTC in launching its Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) project. By making the data open, the hope is to encourage the development of better applications and mobility solutions, addressing the technical snags and bugs encountered in BMTC’s existing mobile app.