State govt plans one-stop mobile app for travel across Maharashtra

An MoU to the effect was signed between the state and US-based Ford Motor Company; later, the same app will allow people to buy tickets for different modes of transport.

The Maharashtra government is planning to set up an integrated platform for all modes of transport in the state. The online platform which will also be a mobile application would help people plan their journeys across the state.

The app would also be beneficial for tourists as it will eliminate the need for an agent to plan a trip. (Photo used for representational purpose)

The project is part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the state government and US-based Ford Motor Company in June during Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ visit to the United States.

As part of the agreement, Ford Motor Company has decided to make an investment of $50 million (around Rs340 crore) in Maharashtra for setting up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for integrated mobility in the state and exploring smart urban mobility modes of transport.

Earlier this month, officials from Ford Motors visited Mumbai to discuss the plan. “Apart from the centre of excellence, which involves training of staff and equipping them with technology, there is a plan to have a single application for all transport modes in the state. So if a person is travelling from Nagpur to Mumbai via Kolhapur, (s)he will get all available modes on the application — trains, state transport buses, etc. It will help a person plan his or her journey,” said a senior bureaucrat, who was part of the meeting.

The government also plans to facilitate buying tickets for different modes from the same application, however, it will be taken up in a phase-wise manner, the bureaucrat said.

The senior official said modalities such as assigning which department would execute the project with Ford is being worked out. The official said this was an “ambitious” attempt given that Mumbai has still not managed to have a single ticket platform for its modes of transport. “Integration is a time-consuming exercise. The integrated ticketing system for Mumbai Metropolitan Region has its challenges. However, it does not mean that we should not start working on a pan-Maharashtra integration plan,” he said.

The official added that the app would be beneficial for tourists — both Indians and foreigners — as it would eliminate the need for an agent to plan the trip.

The company on November 24 last year already signed a MoU with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for common mobility solution for commuters across multiple modes of transport such as buses, trains, taxis, autos and the metro.