M stands for Mumbai and “mobile”. The indicator is something we all know,” says Teke, a software engineer at Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in Matunga. In 2006, after graduation, he worked for a software company and developed mobile applications. “I traveled from Nerul to my office in Seepz, Andheri. I used all modes of transport: I took a train to Kurla, a bus and finally a car to my office. Every day was a struggle, especially in the evening when we had no idea when the next train to Belapur was due. There was simply no way to know,” he recalls. He also witnessed the problems of other commuters. It seems pretty obvious that a city where the majority of people travel by train should have a robust timetable service. However, no one has actually managed to make it happen. Except Teke. Determined, he quit his job and decided to create an app that could do this. m-indicator, a free app, launched in 2010 and reached 5.5 lakh users within a year. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay People loved the app and voluntarily provided feedback to improve it. Teke also employed freelancers who went to train stations to note train times and update the database. Eventually, government authorities also contacted him to use the app to send alerts: for mega lockdowns, emergencies, and so on. m-indicator has added bus timings, auto rickshaws, taxi fare tables and other services. The app has been launched on Android, iOS and Windows phones. “We have grown solely through word of mouth. I believe I was in the right place at the right time," adds the 29-year-old, who also holds an MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj institute. His company generates revenue through targeted ads, which, he believes, is something only m -l 'indicator can provide. “If you are in Borivli, Thane, Nerul, you can see ads relevant to that area. m-indicator provides local targeting and that is why customers come to us,” he explains.m-indicator encloses a wealth of information. It's emergency medical services contact numbers (given to him by a doctor who used the app); , job offers among other information. The new update will add monorail and subway timetables, along with BMC alerts. The M indicator has helped many passengers find forgotten items “People forget their things on the luggage rack . When they notice this, they use the app to see when the train will reach the last station and call the GRP number to alert them about the bag. I personally have received phone calls from people thanking me for the app. It's really cool. Teke wants to expand to other cities. But don't similar apps already exist? “Competition fuels excellence. We grew up because we wanted to be better. Now we've killed the competition," he concludes. He designed the app's architecture, wrote the code himself, and enlisted family, friends and volunteers to input train times for the 232 trains making 3,000 daily trips across 108 stations in the vast territory of the city. “We recorded a total of 84,000 timetable registrations,” explains Teke. The process lasted a few months 'free app and resigned from his job. Teke said m-Indicator provides accurate, real-time information on Mumbai train schedules, including arrival times, route changes and delays..