After BMTC snub, labour department to utilise teen app developer’s talent

BENGALURU: Following a TOI report on how BMTC turned away a teenager whose app was providing real-time information on buses and blocked his access to their service data, the labour department has come forward to utilize the boy’s services.
In the report ‘BMTC shows door to teen whose bus app a hit among passengers’ (July 7), TOI had highlighted that 15-year-old Nihar Thakkar’s app — Bengaluru buses: track BMTC buses in real time — was a hit among commuters.However, after BMTC blocked the boy from accessing its service data, he was forced to remove the app from Google Play Store.
P Manivannan, secretary to the labour department, tweeted on Sunday: “I talked to Nihar already and sought his services for the Labour dept. We are meeting on Tuesday to make an app for our dep...Young talent needs to be recognised and used. So, it’s a win-win for both (sic)”
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya wrote: “It’s unfortunate that BMTC didn’t use talent of a youngster who came forward to help improve its efficiency, while our PM @narendramodi Ji insists on Jan Bhagidari everyday....We will reach out to Nihar & facilitate engagement with BMTC...Kudos to @timesofindia for highlighting (sic).”
Many netizens extended support to Nihar, who said he was “overwhelmed by the response”.
Samit Singh, a senior banker, tweeted: ‘What a shame! Why would BMTC do something like this? A citizen is trying to help you & one lakh users in the city and you make it difficult for the citizen instead of applauding & supporting him? Make it work please (sic)”. Ashok Malik, press secretary to the President of India, tweeted: “When you don’t understand something, just ban it”.
Revathy Ashok, an activist, wrote: “First ban pool driving, then remove Volvo buses, then ban bike taxis, now remove a harmless app... Do we even understand the ramifications of such random transactional pronouncements & impact on congestion and citizen hardship? (sic)”
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CMD of Biocon Limited, tweeted: “The Govt has lost the ability to think rationally. Babus r having a free run with knee jerk responses while ministers r playing hide n seek politics! Shame on our elected law makers who have scant respect for the law (sic).”