IIIT connecting APSRTC to the information highway

e-BusGuide would lead you to the right bus through your mobile or internet

At a bus-stop and confused as to which bus will take you to your destination or when will it arrive?

As of now your only alternative would be to ask fellow passengers around you, wait for some time, lose patience and then probably opt for an alternative mode of transport. Cut to 2007, and the above scenario could well be history. Researchers at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT)-Hyderabad are working on something called an e-BusGuide.

The system being developed will be able to provide schedules and routing information to commuters through an online system that can be accessed not only through the internet but also via mobile phones.

So confident are the researchers about the outcome that P Krishna Reddy, associate professor at IIIT, is planning to present a proposal to the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) in this regard.

Speaking to Business Standard, Reddy said, "Often, commuters do not have information on the bus timings and the shortest route available to reach a destination. It usually happens that they wait for some time and then opt for an alternative mode of transport. Sometimes they may know about the bus timings but due to traffic, the bus may get delayed which again forces them to opt for some other mode of transport. So, if one knows the exact schedule of a bus in real time, this can be avoided."

At present, the institute has built a prototype and is planning to make a presentation to the APSRTC.

"On an average, in Hyderabad, about 31 lakh passengers travel by bus daily. And a large number of people use mobile phones today. I believe, two years from now all mobile phones will be internet-enabled. So if this system can help increase the bus occupancy rate for the APSRTC, it will also lead to increased income for them," Reddy said.

The implementation of this system in Hyderabad, he added, will take a couple of years at a cost of Rs 40.19 lakh.

Incidentally, IIIT, in collaboration with the University of Illinois, is also working on a freight train monitoring system for US-based Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway. This system involves observation of train via camera placed at a strategic point.

"Currently, the project is in an experimental stage. While we at the IIIT do the observation part of the project regarding the number of trains passing on a track and with how many containers, the University of Illinois does the analysis part," P J Narayanan, associate professor, IIIT, said.

"This monitoring can help in the optimal utilisation of track and fuel. Later, it will also be helpful in implementing safety and security measures. If it succeeds, we will be able to extend it to monitoring of cars as well," he added.