Created by Google Maps team.
By Raif Karerat
Google has underscored its impetus in India by introducing an Android App that can help navigate public transportation in Delhi.
Google describes the Delhi Public Transport app, which was created by the Google Maps team, as “experimental” and “designed from the ground up to make it easier for Delhi residents to get around on public transit.”
The new Delhi Public Transport App will be built into Google Maps to help users get directions and timetable information for Delhi Metro, DTC, DIMTS (orange) buses and Gurgaon Rapid Metro offline, Google released in a statement.
The app will also provide information on directions between bus stops and metro routes as well, it added.
The app is small — less than 1MB — and information can be saved offline. Those two very deliberate design details help it to cater to all potential users, regardless of their type of smartphone or the quality of their internet connection.
The app includes a “share” button that will generate a link that can be sent to friends via channels like WhatsApp. Using the link, the app can be downloaded directly even without a Google Play Store account, reported the Press Trust of India.
“As someone who has lived in Asia and travels the region regularly, I’m hugely encouraged by this new app,” wrote TechCrunch Jon Russell. “Google Maps is already a must — where it can be used — but local apps like these have vast potential for locals and visitors alike. It’s refreshing to see Google using tech to address everyday issues in emerging markets, hopefully there’s a lot more to come beyond this.”
Roughly 2.6 million people travel by Delhi Metro these days, according to the latest ridership data.
Just last week, Google announced that it will begin providing high-speed public Wi-Fi throughout 400 train stations across India.
The network will expand quickly to cover 100 of the busiest stations in India before the end of 2016, with the remaining stations following in quick succession.