Privacy Policy

Last updated: 12 May 2025

Bharat Metro Locator (“we”, “our”, or “the app”) is a metro navigation service for Indian cities. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, and how it is used — both on our website (bharatmetrolocator.com) and in our Android/iOS mobile app.

By using Bharat Metro Locator, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the app and website.

1. Data We Collect

1.1 Location Data (GPS)

The app requests access to your device's GPS location to:

• Auto-detect which metro city you are in
• Find the nearest metro station to your current position
• Track your real-time position during an active metro journey

Location data is used only on-device for route calculations. We do not store, upload, or share your GPS coordinates with any server, except when you explicitly use the Friend Tracker feature (see Section 1.3). Location access is requested only when you use the app — we do not track location in the background when the app is closed.

1.2 Motion / Accelerometer Data

The app reads your device's accelerometer and motion sensors to simulate journey progress when GPS signal is weak or unavailable (e.g., underground metro tunnels). This data is processed entirely on-device and is never transmitted off your device.

1.3 Friend Tracker / MetroMeet (Optional)

If you choose to use the MetroMeet (Friend Tracker) feature, your approximate location (latitude/longitude), a display name you provide, and a randomly generated user ID are temporarily stored in our database to allow friends in the same session to see each other's position on the metro network. This data is:

• Only stored while the tracking session is active
• Deleted automatically when the session ends or expires (2 hours)
• Never used for advertising or sold to third parties

1.4 Advertising ID (Google AdMob)

Our app displays advertisements provided by Google AdMob. AdMob may collect and use your device's Advertising ID (GAID on Android / IDFA on iOS) to serve personalized or non-personalized ads. This is standard industry practice for ad-supported free apps.

Google AdMob's data collection is governed by Google's Privacy Policy. You can opt out of personalized ads at any time:

• Android: Settings → Google → Ads → “Delete advertising ID” or “Opt out of Ads Personalization”
• iOS: Settings → Privacy → Tracking → Disable “Allow Apps to Request to Track”

1.5 Push Notifications (FCM)

The app uses Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) by Google to send push notifications, such as alerts about new Metro Talks podcast episodes. When you install the app, it automatically subscribes to the metro_talks notification topic. No personal data is collected for this — only an anonymous FCM device token is used. You can disable notifications at any time through your device's notification settings.

1.6 Crash & Diagnostic Data

The app may collect anonymized crash reports and diagnostic logs to help us identify and fix bugs. This data does not include personally identifiable information.

1.7 Contact Form (Website Only)

If you submit a message through our Contact Us page, we collect your name and email address solely to respond to your query. We do not add you to any mailing list without explicit consent.

2. How We Use Your Data

• To provide metro routing, fare calculation, and journey tracking features
• To auto-detect your nearest metro city (one-time GPS read on button tap)
• To enable the Friend Tracker real-time location sharing feature
• To display relevant advertisements through Google AdMob (free app monetization)
• To send push notifications for new Metro Talks podcast episodes (via Firebase FCM)
• To track your daily metro expenses locally on your device (Metro Expense Tracker)
• To improve app stability through anonymized crash reports
• To respond to user support queries submitted via the contact form

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third party.

3. Third-Party Services

4. Local Storage (On-Device Only)

The following data is stored only on your device using Android's local database (Room) and SharedPreferences. It is never uploaded to any server:

• Metro Expense Tracker: Your travel logs (date, fare, route, savings vs cab) — stored in a local Room database on your device only
• Commute Reminders: Your saved commute time preference — stored in SharedPreferences
• Language preference: Hindi / English selection — stored in SharedPreferences
• Selected metro city: Your last selected city — stored in SharedPreferences

4a. Data Retention

• Location & Motion data: Never stored — processed on-device only
• Friend Tracker sessions: Deleted automatically within 2 hours of session end
• Metro Expense data: Stored only on your device — never uploaded to any server
• FCM device token: Managed by Google Firebase — not stored by us
• Contact form submissions: Retained for up to 12 months, then deleted
• Advertising ID: Managed by Google AdMob — see Google's policy

5. Children's Privacy

Bharat Metro Locator is a general-audience application and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

6. Permissions Requested

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request deletion of any personal data we hold about you
• Opt out of personalized advertising (see Section 1.4)
• Revoke location permissions at any time through your device settings — the app will continue to work with manual city selection
• Contact us with any privacy concerns at support@bharatmetrolocator.com

8. Google Play Data Safety

For users who installed this app from Google Play, the following summarises our Data Safety form declarations:

• Data collected: Approximate location (Friend Tracker, optional), Advertising ID (AdMob), FCM device token (push notifications)
• Data shared: Advertising ID shared with Google AdMob only; FCM token managed by Google Firebase
• Data not collected: Name, email, payment info, contacts, messages, photos, files
• Security practices: Data in transit is encrypted (HTTPS/TLS)
• User can request data deletion: Yes — email support@bharatmetrolocator.com

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the app after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions or data deletion requests, contact us at:

📧 support@bharatmetrolocator.com
🌐 bharatmetrolocator.com/contact-us