IIT Bhubaneswar has developed a mobile and web application called Simply-Swap, designed to facilitate seat swapping among train passengers.

“Many a times, train travelers belonging to the same family face the challenge of reservation seats located in different coaches. Traditionally, such passengers seek seat swaps through direct requests to fellow travelers but meet with limited success. Based on his personal experience with seat-swapping requests, Srikant Gollapudi conceptualised an app that could facilitate seat swapping among train passengers with negligible effort,” a media release said.

The app was developed by students Rustam Kumar and Sangam Mishra from the department of computer science and faculty members Gollapudi and Srinivas Pinisetty.

The application allows registered users to post seat-swapping requests by entering their current seat details, desired seat or coach and train information. Any other user traveling on the same train with a seat reservation in the specified coach can view the request and opt to accept the swap.

Once a match is found, the app facilitates the swapping process, reducing the stress of manual coordination.

“The IIT Bhubaneswar team believes Simply-Swap could significantly enhance passenger convenience and satisfaction if the app is integrated into Indian Railways’ services,” the release said.