Delhi government launches portal for spotting location of cluster buses

Delhi bus commuters will now be able to spot locations of cluster buses at intervals of 10 seconds with the help of open transit data (OTD) which will be shared on a dedicated portal launched by the Delhi government Friday.

Delhi becomes the first city in the country to open up transit data of city buses, that will provide static and real time data through the website -- www.otd.delhi.gov.in -- including geo-coordinates of bus stops, route maps, timetables, and real time GPS feeds of bus locations every 10 seconds, said a government statement.

"This initiative will provide a lot of useful information at the finger tips of citizen and encourage more and more people to switch to public transport, thereby impacting pollution," Delhi Transport minister Kailash Gahlot said.

In the beta version launched Friday, real-time data of around 1,700 buses operated under the Cluster scheme will be provided. Data on DTC and Delhi Metro feeder buses is also expected to be added shortly, the statement said.

The OTD portal will incorporate multi-modal transport data feed in future, including those of Metro trains and last mile connectivity vehicles, it said.

The portal will also enable the government to instal real-time Passenger Information Systems (PIS) or display boards at bus stops and terminals to let commuters know of arrival time of various buses.

The open transit data will also enable app-builders to provide transit related services like Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at any bus stop, position of the vehicle, alert and diversion messages among others.

Gaholt said that the transport department studied similar initiatives by Singapore and London to come out with the portal.

"The Delhi government is making rapid strides towards transforming the city's public transportation system in to a world class one and the launch of Open Transit Data portal is a major step in that direction," he asserted.

The portal was designed and developed by IIIT-Delhi.