CHENNAI: When youngsters of the same age group get together, there's usually fun and excitement in the air. But, four engineering students who met three years ago had a different plan.

Even as they were in college, they took up web designing projects inspired by an international award for their online e-learning project by Washington University. Their bonding continues even after their college days and now they are all set to launch a web portal, which would serve as an e-directory and a complaint box.

E. Balaprasanna, a computer engineering student of Velammal Engineering College, launched `Etcetera Web and Software Tech limited' three years ago and was joined by three other students, Shilpa Harry, N. Dinakar and Jayabharath. So, what makes their company and website special? Shilpa Harry, marketing director of the Etcetera, said the company, which was started by four students, now was having 52 employees. "We started with small and yet successful projects and gradually moved on to bigger ones such as logistics projects." With an aim to design something useful for the city residents, they hit upon the idea of an e-directory and started working on it six months ago. N. Dinakar, company's human resource director said the web portal, mastimadras.com, escorts the user in obtaining information on various sectors, including banks, insurance, shopping, theatres and beauty care.

The special feature of the web portal was that it would have an online complaint box where residents can post their grievances on civic problems, from water problems and frequent power cuts to issues such as corruption and cyber crimes. Ms. Harry said the user could register complaints free of cost and the grievances would be forwarded to authorities concerned.The web portal, www.mastimadras.com, is to be launched on August 17 at League Club, Arumbakkam.