A young software entrepreneur from the city, Md. Gulzar, has developed a mobile app for the historic Sammakka-Sarakka Jatara that would also be available offline.
The app — Medaram jatara guide — is now available on Google Playstore and would soon be made available on iOS. The application, which also works offline, has useful information for pilgrim like visiting places, parking places, bus points with fare details, among others. Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Gulzar said it also features missing persons/ things which is an online feature. It also has ‘my places’ which helps spot the vehicle or tent location of the devotees. “It shows the nearest location of toilets, water points as it automatically works with GPS,” he said.
Free WiFi
Mr Gulzar who completed B. Tech and MBA started a software company — Kakatiya IT Solutions — five years ago and has been developing applications to wide variety of clients. “The big push came from the then collector Vakati Karuna. Now Bhupalpally Joint Collector D. Amoy Kumar and Sub Collector V. P. Gautam guided and helped in developing the Medaram App,” he said.
Since the BSNL already promised to provide free Wi-Fi facility to the devotees, this App would be of immense help. Since it also works offline, it helps making a hassle free pilgrimage to the historic Medaram village for Sammakka-Sarakka jatara schedule from January 31 to February 3.
Sea of humanity
At any given point of time there would be over 15 lakh people who would stay put at the tiny Medaram village. People in thousands could be seen arriving and leaving the place and endless number of vehicles transporting them through the thick jungles of Tadvai mandal.
Mr. Gulzar says his software company with five member team got encouragement from IT Minister KT Rama Rao. Now they got space at Madikonda IT hub that enabled them employ more software engineers. “Earlier we were working from a room in a shopping complex in Hanamkonda and the expenditure was on the high side. Now we are comfortable and employed 10 engineers, all local graduates, and five marketing personnel,” he said adding that the latest application project from the Bhupalpally district administration boosted their morale.
