WaPas App Brings Delhi’s Hidden History To Life: From Ruins To Recognition

Delhi is rich in history and is home to some of the nation’s most well-known landmarks, such as Humayun’s Tomb, the Red Fort, and Qutub Minar. Beyond these popular destinations is a treasure chest of lesser-known historical sites that pass unobserved. Four students in Noida have developed an innovative mobile app called WaPas (Walking Past) to bridge this gap and spread awareness about such unseen places. The application uses contemporary technology, such as GPS and geotagging, to facilitate users’ travel and discovery of the rich historical ground of Delhi.

What is WaPas?

WaPas, short for Walking Past, is a mobile phone application identifying secret historical places in Delhi. It provides a virtual guide with a historical background, anecdotes, and directions to over 500 of the city’s heritage sites. The name WaPas is a clever play on words, symbolizing both “walking past” monuments and the Hindi word “wapas,” meaning going back in time—a fitting reference to rediscovering Delhi’s historical treasures.

The Visionaries Behind WaPas

Vihan Tampi, a Class 12 student from Shiv Nadar School in Noida, conceived the idea for WaPas. Influenced by his father, Chandrashekar Thampi, a heritage expert, Vihan genuinely liked the historical monuments of Delhi. He saw many of these monuments slowly degenerate and be overlooked over the years because of urbanization, pollution, and ignorance.

With a passion for creating change, Vihan teamed up with three of his peers—Arnav Vij, Aryan Bardeja, and Karissa Gupta—to develop this app. The group worked with Adobe mentors to make the app’s design user-friendly and interactive for history buffs and occasional visitors.

How Does WaPas Work?

This app acts as a pocket guide to heritage, employing GPS, augmented reality (AR), and geotagging to alert users whenever they are near a historical site.

Key Features of WaPas:

1. Location-Based Alerts: When the user is near a heritage site, the app sends an alert, encouraging them to go and explore and know more about the monument.
2. Audio Guides: The user can listen to descriptions of the site’s history, architecture, and significance, adding an immersive experience.
3. Detailed Descriptions: Each location has a thorough write-up explaining its historical and cultural importance.
4. Save for Later: It is simple to bookmark places of interest by the users and explore them later.
5. AR Integration: Augmented Reality capabilities provide an enhanced experience because users can envision how a monument looked in its heyday.
6. User-Friendly Interface: All age groups will have a smooth experience thanks to the app’s straightforward design.

This application is currently available for iOS users, and an Android version is expected to be rolled out shortly.

Why WaPas is Important

Delhi boasts more than 1,300 heritage buildings, but they are not famous. At the same time, popular landmarks attract tourists and conservation efforts, and less visited buildings are overlooked and deteriorate because of a lack of awareness and conservation campaigns.

• Raising Awareness: Locals and tourists have no clue they are there. WaPas highlights them, adding to visitors’ cultural activity.
• Encouraging Tourism: The app spreads tourist traffic around the city by promoting lesser-visited destinations and avoiding crowds at mainstream attractions.
• Fostering Conservation Efforts: Heightened awareness can cause community-based and official activities to protect and restore the sites.
• Enhancing Learning: The app is a great study tool for students, history enthusiasts, and scholars.

Challenges in Heritage Conservation and How WaPas Helps

Even with India’s abundant heritage, conservation of heritage is plagued with some challenges:

• Urbanization: Hasty development tends to result in encroachments and demolition of heritage structures.
• Pollution: Air pollution accelerates the degradation of centuries-old structures.
• Lack of Documentation: Lack of maintenance and vandalism further endanger heritage conservation.
• Neglect and Vandalism: Poor maintenance and acts of vandalism further threaten heritage preservation.

WaPas is a digital solution to these problems by making historical information more accessible, interactive, and actionable.

Future Plans for WaPas

WaPas’ success in Delhi has provided expansion opportunities. The app developers are considering the following:

• Expand to Other Cities: Cities such as Agra, Jaipur, and Varanasi, famous for their heritage, would be suitable for this app.
• Integrate More Languages: WaPas is currently available in English, and plans to add Hindi and local language options.
• Collaborate with Archaeological Bodies: Partnerships with organizations like the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) can lend validity and official site details.
• Introduce Virtual Tours: Virtual reality (VR) and 360-degree tours can be introduced for users who cannot visit in person.

User Reactions and Impact

WaPas has also been popular among users and lovers of heritage. Many users have praised its elegance, good storytelling, and innovative exploration of the Past.

One user responded: “I have lived in Delhi for 20 years and did not know half the places I discovered with this app. This is a game-changer!”

Another history enthusiast remarked: “This app has enriched my walks in and around Delhi so much. I no longer observe ruins—I know their stories.”

Conclusion

WaPas is not an app—though it is very much an application—but a movement to reconnect humans with their history. Using technology, the students involved have created a platform that supports tourism and is also essential for heritage preservation.

As Delhi keeps changing, initiatives such as WaPas ensure its Past is not lost. Whatever your interest—history, travel, or academic pursuits—WaPas promises to provide a rewarding experience where you can rediscover India’s capital city’s lost heritage.

If you have not downloaded it yet, download WaPas and step aside!