redBus & Karix Together Launch ‘redRail’, An Initiative for Live Train Status Tracking Service on WhatsApp

Karix Mobile, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tanla Platforms, India’s largest CPaaS provider, today announced the deployment of a first-of-its-kind WhatsApp LTS (Live Train Status) service for redBus as part of their redRail initiative.

This new service will allow travelers across India to reach +91 9538039911 on WhatsApp for up-to-the-minute information on the location, running status, ticket confirmation and the arrival of all intercity passenger trains in the country. Travelers can also use the redRail service to track their live location on the go during their journey and share it with their loved ones. WhatsApp is one of the leading, most secure messaging platforms in the world and has millions of Indian subscribers which made it an obvious pick as the platform of choice for the LTS implementation. Since the service is WhatsApp-based, it does not require the installation of any additional software other than WhatsApp, making it memory-efficient, battery-efficient, and hassle-free for travelers.

The WhatsApp Business Platform powered by Karix enables the redRail LTS service to seamlessly initiate conversations with customers and relays customer-initiated messages back to the redRail platform for processing incoming customer requests. In addition, the robust WhatsApp platform empowers the redRail initiative by offering higher delivery rates, better analytics and a 3D view of complete conversations happening with customer ROI metrics.

“Train travel is the most widely used mode of public transportation in India. We’ve always wanted to impact and better the lives of as many people as possible with our products, and that’s how we initially came up with the concept for redRail. This service is aimed at providing a convenient way for people all across the country, especially in rural areas, to have a real-time information window on trains. The idea was massive in scope, and we were aware that it will require significant technical expertise to deploy. Thankfully, with the help of our fantastic team and our channel partners Karix and WhatsApp, we were able to bring the idea to fruition. We are confident that this service will go a long way in alleviating concerns about pre-boarding and train travel for the 22 million people traveling on intercity trains every day.” said Parikshit Choudhury, Chief Business Officer, redRail by redBus.

Deepak Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Karix Mobile said in the release, “We commend redBus for the foresight and vision they have shown with the redRail initiative that stands to benefit millions of people. Being part of the first-ever LTS implementation on WhatsApp with redBus is an exciting undertaking for us too, given our penchant for cutting-edge technology. Partnering with an initiative like redRail that is making use of the latest technology to deliver real value for consumers and travelers is what keeps us going. With our advanced platform capabilities and the dedicated efforts of our teams, we are committed to innovating and building the next generation of digital customer experiences.”

The benefits and reach of redRail go beyond just the urban and tech-savvy populace. To use the redRail service, travelers simply need to send a message to +91 9538039911 on WhatsApp. As a response to this, a chatbot flow gets initiated which directs the user to enter their booking PNR or the number of the train that needs to be tracked.

redbus Announces the Rollout of India’s First Vaccinated Bus Service

Vaccinated travellers can choose to travel in buses where co-passengers and bus crew are vaccinated

Requires travelers to have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine in order to be able to travel through this service

National, July 23, 2021: In a first for the bus transport sector, redBus, India’s largest online bus ticketing platform, announces the launch of vaccinated bus services across 600+ major routes in the country. This new arrangement guarantees that passengers of an intercity bus get to travel with vaccinated co-passengers and crew. Booking a ticket on this service requires the travellers to have received at least the first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine and they must submit proof of the same at the time of boarding.

Vaccinated Bus is being introduced in collaboration with private partner bus operators that have a customer rating of more than four stars out of five on the platform. Presently vaccinated bus services have begun operating across 600+ routes on redBus, with the crew and passengers having had at least the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

redBus already implements various safety measures under its ‘Safety+’ program, which is a unique certification given to partner bus operators who meet the highest standards of safety and sanitization. These include deep cleaning of buses after each trip, compulsory masking, hand sanitization and thermal screening of both passengers and the crew.

 

In order to ensure proper execution of this new system, boarding for passengers who book their tickets on vaccinated buses will only be allowed once they produce their ID proof and vaccination certificate at the time of boarding. The travellers will also be informed of these requirements before the journey through e-mail and SMS. The partner bus operator staff will physically verify the vaccination certificates/ ID proofs for all adult passengers before boarding, with the exception of passengers aged below 18. Passengers who fail to provide the necessary proof will be denied boarding.

Speaking on the service, Prakash Sangam, CEO, redBus, stated --

According to a survey that we recently undertook with our customers, 89% of the respondents said that they prefer to travel in a bus which had all the bus staff and co-passengers vaccinated with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. It is therefore evident that a vaccinated bus rids passengers of their anxiety to a large extent and restores their confidence to undertake travel, which they are all so eagerly looking forward to. It is also extremely encouraging to witness our partner bus operators stepping up efforts to support us in this undertaking. At the moment, these services are spread across 600+ routes in the country and we will look at further scaling this initiative based on the response to it.

redBus Resumes Intra-State Bookings with 80+ Private Bus Operators in Gujarat

redBus, India’s leading online bus ticketing platform announces resumption of the services of80+ private bus operators on its platform in Gujarat, thus opening up around 5000+intra-state routes connecting cities such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Bhuj.

The resumption of intra-state bus travel will effectively end the long and anxious wait for thousands of travellers who were looking to travel during the past few months amidst the lockdown. About 630+ private buses will now ply on these routes with a daily capacity of 14000+ seats, expecting a high demand for travel to big cities as thousands of people hope to return to work at the earliest.



In order to help travellers tide over the confusion of opening up of specific bus routes, redBus recently introduced the concept of pre-registration on its platform. This helps users to keep track of the opening up of their desired bus routes by giving some basic information such as phone number and email id along with the route. The users are then subsequently notified when the buses become available on redBuson their desired routes. As of 10thJune, around 5.5 lakh customers across India had already availed the pre-registration feature.

redBus has also launched, ‘Safety+’, a unique certification for bus operators who meet the highest standards of safety and sanitisation. The redBus ticketing platform indicates operators with this certification with a Safety+ tag next to the bus listing, enabling users to opt for such operators or buses.

The buses listed under ‘Safety+’ will ensure the following:
redBus has also listed out a set of passenger guidelines encouraging passengers to travel responsibly for a safe and hassle-free journey. These guidelines seek to ensure safety of bus travel. Some of the measures listed in the passenger guidelines are illustrated below:

5 Best Bus Ticket Booking Sartups in India

Are you planning a trip in coming days? The summer vacations are almost around the corner and your plans must be in full bloom. Make your travel comfortable and hassle-free by booking your bus tickets online using the best bus ticket booking apps. You can even save huge money using the offers today on bus tickets. There are numerous bus ticket booking apps through which you can book tickets within minutes. Check out the details in the article below.

1) Golofty - An Indore Based Travel Booking Startup

When you plan your travel the most hectic part of the plan is to stand in a long queue to get a bus ticket. And to tackle this problem a fresh new startup has entered the market aiming to reduce all your hassle and giving you the best experience of travel. Founded in December 2016 by Aman Khurana, Golofty has now spread wide across the country. GoLofty has spread its arms across 75,000 routes in India and 2500 bus operators are constantly available to help the customers and provide them with great deals. Their network has spread to around 3400 cities in India.
The company has both website and an app which is available on Google Play Store. You can avail great offers once you sign in to the app. As the travel industry is witnessing a growth rate of 25% per year the availability of online bus booking app is going to provide comfortable travel booking experience. Avail additional discounts through offer today on bus tickets.

2) MakeMyTrip - A Startup From Gurugram

Initially founded with keeping in mind the overseas Indian community the company was launched in 2000 in the US market. However, the company then entered into Indian market in 2005 offering online ticket bookings for the customers. The company was founded by Deep Kalra who is an IIM Ahmedabad alumni. The introduction of Makemytrip has resolved issues of online flight ticket booking, bus ticket booking, and also hotel booking. With just one app you can do everything that you need to for your next trip. You can use the app or website to book your tickets.

The company offers unique travel packages, holiday packages, and you can even book your entire trip via Makemytrip. The special packages come at special rates and you can avail additional discounts using promo codes. You can choose your choice of seats while travelling and ensure comfortable ride throughout your travel. Booking online tickets saves your time standing in long queues and waiting for your turn to purchase the tickets. Also, you can pay using various payment options like wallets or credit/debit cards or visa cards.

3) TravelYaari

Again, founded by an IIM A alumunus, Travelyaari is now one of the biggest travel startups in India. The idea was seeded in 2006 at the college campus and soon grew into the biggest travel booking platform. Founded by three friends the company grew slowly and acquired big successes in the years 2008 and 2010. Travelyaari has its headquarters in Bangalore on a 3,500 sq ft office space. Today the company has offices in 10 major cities, has tied up with 1200 travel operators, has employee staff of 200, and is drawing 15% of the market share. The company will soon launch its international services in coming years.

In India, Travelyaari has occupied a huge number of customer base through their best services and offers. They have made bus travel simpler and comfortable for common man. They have tackled the problem of seeking travel operators to book tickets and have made it possible for everyone to book their own tickets without paying extra commission. You can get your ticket on tap of your fingers while relaxing on couch. You can also save money using the bus ticket offers and promo codes. Travelyaari has really made travel an experience rather than hectic period.

4) RedBus

RedBus is the most famous online bus ticket booking platform in India. It has revolutionized the way travel industry works. It has maximum user base and, therefore, market share in the country. Founded in 2006 by Prakash Sangam the company has its headquarters situated in Bengaluru. The company started with just few seats from a single bus operator and now has reached to 700 bus operators and have listed 10,000 buses. RedBus sales approximately 5000 tickets per day and works in 15 states across the country. It allows you to browse among the cities you want to travel to and book your tickets.

Through RedBus you can book a Volvo, Sleeper, or normal bus tickets between your boarding place to destination place. The idea for RedBus was conceived when the founder Phanindra Sama could not book a bus ticket when he wished to visit his home for Diwali celebrations. The unavailability of tickets then urged him to think upon connecting the bus services to online portal where people can book tickets well in advance. Thus, it saves your time and energy and guarantees a confirm ticket. You can also save money by using offers today on bus tickets.

5) Cleartrip

Another impactful Indian online travel venture which is making travel a safer, comfortable journey for its customers. The company was founder in 2006 by Start Crighton and Hrush Bhatt and has its headquarters situated in Mumbai. Initially, the company aimed at aggregating hotels and air travel but now has expanded its services to book trains, buses, weeked gateaways, etc. The customers can book tickets using Cleartrip app or website. The app is available on Google Play Store and Apple store.

The company has got a huge customer base as their app has been downloaded eight million times. This suggests their growth and the services they provide to keep their customers happy. You can book your bus tickets by choosing your boarding city and destination city. Cleartrip provides tickets at an affordable rates and you can also save additional money using the offers.

Make your Travel Comfortable

The online bus ticket booking apps provide you everything on few taps of your finger tips. In today's world time has become an essential commodity. So you should use these apps to book your tickets and save your time. And also save money along with it during the offers today on bus tickets. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and book your tickets now!

5 Best Bus Ticket Booking Sartups in India

Are you planning a trip in coming days? The summer vacations are almost around the corner and your plans must be in full bloom. Make your travel comfortable and hassle-free by booking your bus tickets online using the best bus ticket booking apps. You can even save huge money using the offers today on bus tickets. There are numerous bus ticket booking apps through which you can book tickets within minutes. Check out the details in the article below.

1) Golofty - An Indore Based Travel Booking Startup

When you plan your travel the most hectic part of the plan is to stand in a long queue to get a bus ticket. And to tackle this problem a fresh new startup has entered the market aiming to reduce all your hassle and giving you the best experience of travel. Founded in December 2016 by Aman Khurana, Golofty has now spread wide across the country. GoLofty has spread its arms across 75,000 routes in India and 2500 bus operators are constantly available to help the customers and provide them with great deals. Their network has spread to around 3400 cities in India.
The company has both website and an app which is available on Google Play Store. You can avail great offers once you sign in to the app. As the travel industry is witnessing a growth rate of 25% per year the availability of online bus booking app is going to provide comfortable travel booking experience. Avail additional discounts through offer today on bus tickets.

2) MakeMyTrip - A Startup From Gurugram

Initially founded with keeping in mind the overseas Indian community the company was launched in 2000 in the US market. However, the company then entered into Indian market in 2005 offering online ticket bookings for the customers. The company was founded by Deep Kalra who is an IIM Ahmedabad alumni. The introduction of Makemytrip has resolved issues of online flight ticket booking, bus ticket booking, and also hotel booking. With just one app you can do everything that you need to for your next trip. You can use the app or website to book your tickets.

The company offers unique travel packages, holiday packages, and you can even book your entire trip via Makemytrip. The special packages come at special rates and you can avail additional discounts using promo codes. You can choose your choice of seats while travelling and ensure comfortable ride throughout your travel. Booking online tickets saves your time standing in long queues and waiting for your turn to purchase the tickets. Also, you can pay using various payment options like wallets or credit/debit cards or visa cards.

3) TravelYaari

Again, founded by an IIM A alumunus, Travelyaari is now one of the biggest travel startups in India. The idea was seeded in 2006 at the college campus and soon grew into the biggest travel booking platform. Founded by three friends the company grew slowly and acquired big successes in the years 2008 and 2010. Travelyaari has its headquarters in Bangalore on a 3,500 sq ft office space. Today the company has offices in 10 major cities, has tied up with 1200 travel operators, has employee staff of 200, and is drawing 15% of the market share. The company will soon launch its international services in coming years.

In India, Travelyaari has occupied a huge number of customer base through their best services and offers. They have made bus travel simpler and comfortable for common man. They have tackled the problem of seeking travel operators to book tickets and have made it possible for everyone to book their own tickets without paying extra commission. You can get your ticket on tap of your fingers while relaxing on couch. You can also save money using the bus ticket offers and promo codes. Travelyaari has really made travel an experience rather than hectic period.

4) RedBus

RedBus is the most famous online bus ticket booking platform in India. It has revolutionized the way travel industry works. It has maximum user base and, therefore, market share in the country. Founded in 2006 by Prakash Sangam the company has its headquarters situated in Bengaluru. The company started with just few seats from a single bus operator and now has reached to 700 bus operators and have listed 10,000 buses. RedBus sales approximately 5000 tickets per day and works in 15 states across the country. It allows you to browse among the cities you want to travel to and book your tickets.

Through RedBus you can book a Volvo, Sleeper, or normal bus tickets between your boarding place to destination place. The idea for RedBus was conceived when the founder Phanindra Sama could not book a bus ticket when he wished to visit his home for Diwali celebrations. The unavailability of tickets then urged him to think upon connecting the bus services to online portal where people can book tickets well in advance. Thus, it saves your time and energy and guarantees a confirm ticket. You can also save money by using offers today on bus tickets.

5) Cleartrip

Another impactful Indian online travel venture which is making travel a safer, comfortable journey for its customers. The company was founder in 2006 by Start Crighton and Hrush Bhatt and has its headquarters situated in Mumbai. Initially, the company aimed at aggregating hotels and air travel but now has expanded its services to book trains, buses, weeked gateaways, etc. The customers can book tickets using Cleartrip app or website. The app is available on Google Play Store and Apple store.

The company has got a huge customer base as their app has been downloaded eight million times. This suggests their growth and the services they provide to keep their customers happy. You can book your bus tickets by choosing your boarding city and destination city. Cleartrip provides tickets at an affordable rates and you can also save additional money using the offers.

Make your Travel Comfortable

The online bus ticket booking apps provide you everything on few taps of your finger tips. In today's world time has become an essential commodity. So you should use these apps to book your tickets and save your time. And also save money along with it during the offers today on bus tickets. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and book your tickets now!

With Network of Over 34K Cities, Indore-based Golofty Aims To Disrupt India's $120 Bn Bus Ticketing Market

If you are planning a trip, what is the one task which keeps on bothering you the most? Booking a bus ticket? Standing in a long queue to book a ticket could be a trying process. And when you are living in a digital world where you can access anything anywhere by just clicking a button, in such a scenario how can travel industry lack behind.

The bus travel industry in India is unorganized and highly fragmented. According to the reports, it is a $120 billion annual turnover industry with a growth rate of 25% per year which indicates that it is growing at a rapid pace. There are around 2000 private bus operators which function with almost 20, 000 buses on point to point routes.

Sensing the opportunity to tap the untapped market various players like redBus, Yatra.com, Travelyaari, Makemytrip etc mushroomed up. Despite the online bus ticketing market being dominated by these big players, yet there is another startup which is trying to make its place in the market and that is Indore-based startup -- Golofty.

Founded in December 2016 by Aman Khurana, Golofty is a hub for all your bus booking needs.

Hailing from a business background, Aman always wanted to to do something different that leaves a trail. Obsessed with the transportation sector, Aman, after completing his graduation started bidding in various schemes of government and private tenders in transportation space. While working in the industry, he observed that people are still facing problem in booking bus ticket or hiring a bus for their family trip. And this is where Aman stumbled upon the idea of Golofty.

“I always wanted something that describes some exclusive quality which differs from all which is something related to high-rise, elevated and "Buland" that is essential in every business and so I decided the word LOFTY that describes all this in one word. For finalizing and combining it to tourism, I launched it with GoLofty,” says Aman Khurana, founder, Golofty.

Business Mockup

[caption id="attachment_116848" align="alignleft" width="317"] Aman Khurana, Founder - GoLofty[/caption]GoLofty.com is a hub for all bus booking needs covering over 75,000 routes in India. The startup claims to have more than 2500 bus operators along with the specialists constantly to help its customers avail great deals. “Our network of bus ticket bookings and bus hire spread in 3440 cities across India which are growing every day too,” informs Aman.

Having a presence on both mobile and desktop, Golofty is experiencing express checkout of 10 seconds on both the platform by making booking hassle free from its customer. Talking about how secure is the site, Founder claims that portal is also fully secured with green lock and comply with all regulations.

On asking about the response from the customers, Aman says,“The customers are really liking the simple and attractive format of our website due to the ease it provides in booking tickets. Since our inception, we have seen the significant rise in our customer base which are hailing from all major cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Indore, Aurangabad, Pune, Mumbai, Coimbatore to name few,” says Aman.

Starting with the initial investment of INR 10 -15 lacs, Golofty has achieved a massive increment in its sale in a short period of time.

What Makes Them Unique

Talking about their competitors, Aman believes that Golofty doesn't have any direct competitors. But they do have indirect competition with startups like Redbus, Yatra.com to name few.

“All the features which we have introduced are launched for the first time in its category. We expertise to offer our premium customers the power to search for group tours. If one is planning to hire a bus for any marriage purpose, corporate tour, outing or any pilgrimage purpose, Golofty is here to find it for its customers with ease. They just need to give us their details and we will get back to them with the best offers from major operators near them,” says Aman.

Another interesting thing that stands them aloof from their competitor is the advertising. Golofty has designed an advertising campaign, especially for the bus operators. According to Aman, bus operators are given the option to advertise with them through which they can list their newly launched buses and also promote their routes

Road Ahead

As Golofty continues to grow in India, Aman is already eyeing opportunities beyond online bus ticketing. In near future, Aman plans to introduce several other services like rail reservation, flight booking, cab/taxi booking, tour/holidays packages, hotel booking, mobile/DTH recharge, bill payment and domestic money transfer for its users.

Not only this, the bootstrapped startup is planning to raise its angel round to strengthen its technology and to expand its category. “I am currently looking to raise around INR 3-5 Mn to increase our market size and make people aware about are features.Our ambition is to bring every bit of available routes online and to create the easiest and cheapest way for customers to book it,” concludes Aman.

With Network of Over 34K Cities, Indore-based Golofty Aims To Disrupt India's $120 Bn Bus Ticketing Market

If you are planning a trip, what is the one task which keeps on bothering you the most? Booking a bus ticket? Standing in a long queue to book a ticket could be a trying process. And when you are living in a digital world where you can access anything anywhere by just clicking a button, in such a scenario how can travel industry lack behind.

The bus travel industry in India is unorganized and highly fragmented. According to the reports, it is a $120 billion annual turnover industry with a growth rate of 25% per year which indicates that it is growing at a rapid pace. There are around 2000 private bus operators which function with almost 20, 000 buses on point to point routes.

Sensing the opportunity to tap the untapped market various players like redBus, Yatra.com, Travelyaari, Makemytrip etc mushroomed up. Despite the online bus ticketing market being dominated by these big players, yet there is another startup which is trying to make its place in the market and that is Indore-based startup -- Golofty.

Founded in December 2016 by Aman Khurana, Golofty is a hub for all your bus booking needs.

Hailing from a business background, Aman always wanted to to do something different that leaves a trail. Obsessed with the transportation sector, Aman, after completing his graduation started bidding in various schemes of government and private tenders in transportation space. While working in the industry, he observed that people are still facing problem in booking bus ticket or hiring a bus for their family trip. And this is where Aman stumbled upon the idea of Golofty.

“I always wanted something that describes some exclusive quality which differs from all which is something related to high-rise, elevated and "Buland" that is essential in every business and so I decided the word LOFTY that describes all this in one word. For finalizing and combining it to tourism, I launched it with GoLofty,” says Aman Khurana, founder, Golofty.

Business Mockup

[caption id="attachment_116848" align="alignleft" width="317"] Aman Khurana, Founder - GoLofty[/caption]GoLofty.com is a hub for all bus booking needs covering over 75,000 routes in India. The startup claims to have more than 2500 bus operators along with the specialists constantly to help its customers avail great deals. “Our network of bus ticket bookings and bus hire spread in 3440 cities across India which are growing every day too,” informs Aman.

Having a presence on both mobile and desktop, Golofty is experiencing express checkout of 10 seconds on both the platform by making booking hassle free from its customer. Talking about how secure is the site, Founder claims that portal is also fully secured with green lock and comply with all regulations.

On asking about the response from the customers, Aman says,“The customers are really liking the simple and attractive format of our website due to the ease it provides in booking tickets. Since our inception, we have seen the significant rise in our customer base which are hailing from all major cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Indore, Aurangabad, Pune, Mumbai, Coimbatore to name few,” says Aman.

Starting with the initial investment of INR 10 -15 lacs, Golofty has achieved a massive increment in its sale in a short period of time.

What Makes Them Unique

Talking about their competitors, Aman believes that Golofty doesn't have any direct competitors. But they do have indirect competition with startups like Redbus, Yatra.com to name few.

“All the features which we have introduced are launched for the first time in its category. We expertise to offer our premium customers the power to search for group tours. If one is planning to hire a bus for any marriage purpose, corporate tour, outing or any pilgrimage purpose, Golofty is here to find it for its customers with ease. They just need to give us their details and we will get back to them with the best offers from major operators near them,” says Aman.

Another interesting thing that stands them aloof from their competitor is the advertising. Golofty has designed an advertising campaign, especially for the bus operators. According to Aman, bus operators are given the option to advertise with them through which they can list their newly launched buses and also promote their routes

Road Ahead

As Golofty continues to grow in India, Aman is already eyeing opportunities beyond online bus ticketing. In near future, Aman plans to introduce several other services like rail reservation, flight booking, cab/taxi booking, tour/holidays packages, hotel booking, mobile/DTH recharge, bill payment and domestic money transfer for its users.

Not only this, the bootstrapped startup is planning to raise its angel round to strengthen its technology and to expand its category. “I am currently looking to raise around INR 3-5 Mn to increase our market size and make people aware about are features.Our ambition is to bring every bit of available routes online and to create the easiest and cheapest way for customers to book it,” concludes Aman.

Bangalore Based galleri5 Raises Funding From TaxiForSure and RedBus Founders

[caption id="attachment_105932" align="aligncenter" width="701"] galleri5's team[/caption]

Bangalore based startup galleri5 aims to let people ‘visually’ discover interesting stuff on topics they like. The venture has built a platform where users can follow their topics of interest, and discover interesting things through relevant photos from like-minded people. As per the company, people are using galleri5 to discover beautiful and offbeat places to travel to, unique culinary experiences to experiment, fashion and home decor ideas, etc. People can also share their own experiences on the app through photos they have clicked. The photos get tagged to relevant topics through galleri5’s in-house crowdsourcing and learning engine, so that you only see what you are interested in.

The startup raised an undisclosed amount of funds last year from well-known investors including Raghunandan G, founder of cab aggregator TaxiForSure and Phanindra Sama, founder of bus ticketing platform RedBus.

According to Rahul Regulapati, one of the founders of galleri5 and graduate of IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad, ‘We believe that no platform is truly harnessing the full potential of visual user-generated content (UGC) the way we are. With over 2 billion photos being uploaded every single day onto the world wide web, the power of combining multiple photos on a single topic across users creates a far more compelling and inspiring story than what any professional would be able to create. Crowdsourcing and UGC will be the central pillars of how discovery happens in the future and we are at the forefront of this change.’

Being a 10-member strong company, galleri5 is working at the cutting edge of machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) to help people find only the most relevant collection of photos on the platform. As per Movin Jain, the other founder of galleri5 and Computer Science graduate from IIT Delhi and MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, “While the problem of search has been solved to a great extent by companies like Google, discovery is a new phenomenon and has not yet seen enough innovation. It’s a hard problem to solve, because unlike search, there is very little input from the user. But it is definitely the future of how people use the web, and that motivates us to work towards building this disruptive platform. We know it will be a challenging journey, which is why we have put together a very strong and motivated tech team. With the backing of successful entrepreneurs who have created big consumer platforms in the past, we are confident of building a product that will be used by millions of people.’

The galleri5 platform is available as a mobile app on Android and iPhone, and also as a website for desktop users.

Very few startups in India are working in the visual discovery space. A few companies in the Silicon Valley including Pinterest have already demonstrated the power of crowdsourcing and discovery. It remains to be seen how visual discovery will change the way we use the web in the future, and whether platforms like galleri5 will be able to create a lasting impact in this space.

redBus Updates Windows Phone App; Native App Launched for iOS

After having launched its app on Windows Phone store and Google Play Store, redBus.in, India's largest online bus ticket booking company, has finally launched a native app for Apple iOS devices, which enables iOS users to search 10,000 bus routes from 800+ operators directly from the app and complete their bus booking.

The app also comes with multiple payment modes including Credit Card, Debit Card, Net Banking, and Cash-on-Deliver.

The company also has updated the Windows Phone app with a completely fresh design and UI, which strictly follows the frameworks suggested for Windows Phone 8.

The updated Windows Phone app comes with newly added features like virtual boarding point and live tracking.  However, these features are still not available on the iOS app and will be released in the near future.

There are other features like the new busBuddy, which helps you manage your bookings seamlessly. Also, using the app you can now find the exact location and navigate to your boarding point on a map. If in case the user is facing any problems either locating the boarding point or has any travel related queries, an option to call for support is readily available. Additionally, users can cancel their bookings right from the app.

Truly it feels like Mobile is the future with availability of such option right under your fingertips.

New features in redBus.in 2.0 for Windows Phone

• Try out a completely fresh look of redBus.in on windows phone 8.


• Download all your bookings from redBus.in to your device.


• The new busBuddy feature:


• busBuddy helps you manage your bookings easily from one place.


• You can find the exact location and navigate to your boarding point on a map.


• Call support for your travel related queries straight from the app.


• Cancel your bookings straight from the app.

Windows Phone users can download the app here and Apple users can click here to download the newly added native iOS app.