KSRTC launches onboard service for visually impaired passengers in Mysuru

Mysuru: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) plans to launch an onboard service to help people with vision impairment board public buses independently. It has identified 350 such visually impaired passengers travelling on different routes in Mysuru, Nanjangud, and surrounding areas.The state-run corporation has decided to use onboard technology for the first time in its buses. It is launching this service from Mysuru city buses on a pilot basis. The Mysuru urban division plans to use this technology by installing devices in its 200 buses. It has started using this technology in five buses in Mysuru on an experimental basis. Depending on the success and response from visually impaired passengers, KSRTC plans to extend the service state-wide to help visually impaired travellers.According to officials, this technology and the devices installed in its buses help such passengers identify the route number of the bus and locate the door of the bus using an audio cue generated by a speaker on the bus. The onboard technology solution has been developed by a technology company along with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Delhi) and a non-profit technology start-up (Raised Lines Foundation) to help people with vision impairment board buses independently.According to officials, this technology consists of three separate units: the bus unit, the user device, and the programming and diagnostic unit. Speaking to TOI, KSRTC Mysuru urban divisional controller, Veeresh, said that the division is implementing this onboard technology to assist people with visual impairment in boarding its buses independently, with the help of the GIZ organisation. This organisation has identified 350 visually impaired passengers, including 290 in Mysuru, travelling on different routes.The division has brought 400 such devices of onboard technology solutions from Delhi. In the next three months, it is also developing a mobile application to assist such passengers, he said.
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