Bengaluru : Frustrated by Bengaluru’s worsening traffic congestion, pothole-ridden roads and damaged footpaths, a 14-year-old boy from the city has developed a unique tech-based solution aimed at improving civic infrastructure. The teenager, Surya Utkarsh, has created an innovative mobile application called ‘RASTHE’, which works in a style similar to the popular dating app Tinder.
The app is now gaining massive attention on social media for its creative approach towards solving one of Bengaluru’s biggest urban problems. Surya shared details of the application through his X account, where his post quickly went viral and drew praise from netizens.
According to the young developer, the app allows citizens to upload photographs of damaged roads, broken pavements and missing footpaths across the city. Users can then rate the condition of the roads and footpaths through a swipe-based interface similar to dating applications. If a road or footpath is in good condition, users can swipe right. If the infrastructure is poor or damaged, they can swipe left.
Because of this unique design, many social media users have started referring to the app as “Tinder for footpaths.”
What has surprised many people even more is Surya’s claim that he developed the app in just 30 minutes using a platform called “10x Apps.” Sharing a demonstration video online, the teenager wrote that he had “fixed Bengaluru traffic and road problems in 30 minutes,” a statement that immediately attracted attention online.
The app has been designed to function as a citizen-driven civic reporting system. Whenever users come across damaged pavements, missing slabs, potholes or unsafe walking areas, they can click a photo and upload it directly through the app. The uploaded image is automatically geo-tagged and mapped to the respective BBMP ward, making it easier for civic authorities to identify and address the issue quickly.
Apart from reporting problems, the app also includes a voting and ranking feature. Citizens can collectively rate the best and worst footpaths in the city. Roads and pavements receiving the highest number of negative votes can be highlighted as priority areas requiring urgent repair.
Surya said the idea behind the app was to make ordinary citizens the “eyes of the city.” According to him, if footpaths are properly maintained, more people will prefer walking instead of using vehicles for short distances, which could indirectly help reduce traffic congestion in Bengaluru.
He also stated that while roads are usually designed for vehicles, the RASTHE app was created keeping pedestrians and common citizens in mind. The app aims to encourage public participation in civic management and infrastructure monitoring.
The teenager is now reportedly preparing to release the application on app stores for wider public use. Social media users have widely appreciated his innovation, technical skills and civic concern at such a young age.
Many Bengaluru residents have even compared the app favourably with existing civic complaint platforms, saying it appears more user-friendly and interactive than several official government applications currently available.
The viral success of the app has once again highlighted how young innovators are using technology and social participation to address real-world urban challenges in India’s rapidly growing cities.
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