BMC's disaster management app finds few takers

MUMBAI: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) android application, which gives citizens regular weather updates, has not found many takers as only 241 Mumbaikars have so far downloaded it since its launch on June 1.

"So far the Disaster Management app has got 241 downloads and 81,087 users visited it," a civic official said.

Right now very few people are aware of the app and we were also in testing mode," the official said adding that the civic body would now inform people about the app.

"We are going to inform about this app to the citizens more aggressively," he said.

The BMC has awarded tender to Aben Software to develop this app at cost of Rs 2.70 lakh, which is operative only on Android platform. This gets updated automatically because this has been linked with Disaster Management Cell of BMC.

Mumbai citizens can get details of rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind speed and wind direction at their location with precise accuracy.

Describing its features, official said, "Apart from informing about rainfall data of the last 15 minutes, one hour, 12 hours and 24 hours, this app also informs about temperature, wind speed, humidity and pressure data every 15 minutes."

This app updates users about high and low tide, traffic diversions, railway and flight delays and also alerts from IMD during monsoon.

In case of emergency, it has SOS facility, getting address and details of the closest police station, 20 animated films on how to manage emergency and disaster situation and Push notifications for alerts to the citizens.

Social activist Anil Galgali hailed this tech-savvy platform saying, "This app has amazing features, a must-grab for Mumbaikars. But the BMC should do something to popularise it, otherwise all exercise would to futile."