The district administration has developed a mobile app VIBJYOR to guide tourists who reach the hill station of Munnar. A three-day hackathon, Code4Munnar, developed the mobile app and website.
VIBJYOR has seven routes from Munnar — Munnar-Koviloor-Vattavada, Munnar-Eravikulam National Park-Marayur, Munnar-Suryanelli- Kolukkumalai, Munnar-Anachal-Adimali, Munnar-Mankulam, Munnar-Mattupetty, and Munnar town-Old Munnar CSI church, including historical places en route. The app also has details of Munnar’s famous Neelakurinji plant and Nilgiri tahr.
Feb. second week
Devikulam Subcollector S. Premkrishnan said the app would be functional in the second week of February. The app gives the distance from Munnar to each place, tourist destinations and the time to visit them, accommodation facilities, hospitals, petrol bunks, and police assistance.
Once opened, the app does not need a mobile network to function. It will be helpful for travellers to areas with poor connectivity, he said. The app also has segments for families, photographers, and single travellers.
Trained guides
In the second phase, details of trained guides will be available. The district administration will train guides through the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) and their name will be uploaded in the app.
The project is implemented in association with Kites Foundation, an NGO, and the DTPC. QR (quick response) code will be on display at major centres in Munnar.
When tourists scan the QR code they will get details about the proper destination.