Case Study
Mnzil.app
Karachi's public transport, finally on the map.
From scattered bus routes and word-of-mouth directions to a single app that tells any commuter exactly which bus to take — and where to change.
Thousands
of commuters depend on it daily
100%
cloud-ready, rebrandable platform
Technical Architecture — at a glance
Client
Commuter App
Next.js 15 · React 18 · PWA
Platform & API
Route Engine
FastAPI
CMS
TinaCMS
Data & Jobs
Database
PostgreSQL
Background Jobs
Celery + Redis
Notifications
Web Push (VAPID)
Operator Dashboard
PHP Admin
Integrations
Mailgun · QR
Security & Hosting
Keys · Rate Limits
The Snapshot
Millions of commuters depend on Karachi's buses, mini-buses and BRT every day — but almost none of it was ever written down online. Mnzil changed that. It is an app where a commuter types a pickup and a destination and instantly gets the right route, even when the journey needs a change of bus. No guesswork. No asking strangers. No missed connections.
What it is
A route-planning app for public transport commuters
Who it's for
Anyone who travels Karachi by bus, mini-bus or BRT
The magic
Finds connecting routes when no single bus goes all the way
The Problem
Karachi runs on one of the world's largest informal transport networks — and it was invisible online.
Undocumented.
No map of the routes, stops or operators existed anywhere online.
Unstructured.
Stops had no official names, and route order had to be collected by hand.
Hard to navigate.
Most journeys need a change of bus, and nobody told you where.
Trust depends on accuracy.
A transport product is only trusted if its information is accurate.
What Mnzil Does
Everything a commuter needs, in one simple app.
Find any route
Type a pickup and destination — get the best route, including journeys that need one or two bus changes.
Nearby buses
See the buses and stops around you, with their full routes.
Full directory
Browse every station and vehicle, each with its own shareable page.
Live notifications
Get instant alerts about route changes and disruptions.
QR codes on the ground
Scan a QR code at any stop to open its live route page; printable posters put the network on the street.
Installable app
Install it to the home screen and use it like a native app.
How It Works
Three taps and you're on your way.
1
Enter pickup
2
Enter destination
3
Get your route
Under the Hood
Building block
What it does
Route engine
Finds direct and connecting journeys, ranked by real distance along the route.
Commuter app
A fast, installable web app with a clean, responsive interface.
Data platform
A hand-built database of stations, vehicles and route sequences.
Alerts system
Queues and delivers push notifications reliably, with retries.
Operator dashboard
Lets the team manage routes, content and broadcasts without a developer.
Security
API keys, device tokens, rate limiting and secure access controls.
The route engine is the star: while other map apps assume clean official data, Mnzil is built to handle messy, real-world networks — discovering transfer points and chaining two buses together when a single one won't get you there.
Technical Architecture
Mnzil is built as a decoupled, service-based platform, so each layer can scale, change and be re-deployed independently. The same architecture powers every city.
Layer
Technology
Role
Commuter app (frontend)
Next.js 15, React 18, Tailwind CSS
Server-rendered, SEO-friendly, installable PWA with interactive maps.
Content management
TinaCMS
Lets non-technical staff publish news, videos and blog posts without a developer.
API & route engine
FastAPI (Python)
Exposes search, directory, analytics and notification endpoints; runs the transfer-aware routing logic.
Database
PostgreSQL, SQLModel / SQLAlchemy
Stores stations, vehicles, route sequences, nearby-stop links, analytics and notification records.
Background jobs
Celery + Redis
Queue, retry and track push-notification broadcasts asynchronously.
Notifications
Web Push (VAPID)
Delivers service alerts directly to installed app users across all platforms.
Operator dashboard
PHP admin panel
Manages routes, stations, content and broadcasts.
Integrations
Mailgun, QR generation
Handles contact-form email and auto-generates QR codes and print-ready station posters.
Security & hosting
API keys, device tokens, rate limiting, secure headers
Protects the API and notification endpoints against abuse and unauthorised access.
Every layer is chosen for reliability and low operating cost, so a new city can be onboarded by pointing the platform at a fresh dataset — no rebuild required.
Services Used
Mnzil was delivered end-to-end by CheelTech using its core service offering — from strategy and design through to engineering, deployment and ongoing maintenance.
CheelTech service
How it was used on Mnzil
Strategy & Solution Architecture
Turned a broken, undocumented transport network into a clear, scalable product plan before any code was written.
UI/UX & Website Design
Designed a commuter-first interface and simple route-planning flow that works for first-time users.
Custom Web App Development
Built Mnzil as a custom, installable React / Next.js web application — no off-the-shelf template.
Web Development
Engineered fast, responsive, SEO-friendly public pages for stations, vehicles, routes, news and blog.
API Design & Integrations
Built the FastAPI route search engine and integrated email, maps and push-notification services.
CMS Development
Delivered a headless CMS so the team can publish blog, news and videos without a developer.
Secure Development & Maintenance
Hardened the platform with API keys, device tokens, rate limiting, monitoring and ongoing upkeep.
Cloud Deployment & Scaling
Containerised the backend and deployed it on managed cloud infrastructure designed to scale.
Data Analytics & Data Filtering
Gathers route information from across the network, then analyses and filters it to check whether each record is authentic — keeping only reliable data in the system for accurate, better results.
Performance Optimization
Optimised load speed, SEO and interface responsiveness so the app feels fast on every screen.
Why It Matters For You
Mnzil is proof that an unorganised transport network can become a modern digital service. That is useful to two kinds of partners.
Cities, authorities & operators
- Give commuters one reliable place to plan every journey.
- Push service alerts and changes instantly.
- See real demand and spot the gaps in your network.
- Start today — the data improves as people use it.
Businesses that want a similar app
- A proven platform you can rebrand and launch in your market.
- One platform for every user — no separate native builds to maintain.
- Search, alerts, analytics and content come built in.
Let's Talk
Want to bring Mnzil to your city, or build something similar? CheelTech is ready to help — from a pilot project to a full city-wide launch.
Contact Us