This Ganeshotsav, a mobile application, will help you track the best pandals in the city, find the nearest artificial idol immersion spots and instruct you how to make your own environmentally-friendly idols.

Launched last year by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Eco Bappa was developed by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and ecofriendlyganesha.com. It has been upgraded for this Ganeshotsav with several new features.

“With a growing level of awareness over the last seven years about celebrating an ecofriendly Ganesh festival, we decided to incorporate all necessary information on one portal that can be accessed by — all at the touch of their smartphone screens,” said Sanjay Bhuskute, public relations officer, MPCB. “It’s perhaps the first mobile app in India which contains ways to celebrate any festival in an environmentally responsible way.”

Initially available just in Marathi, the app now has an English version too. There have been almost 900 downloads from Google Play Store and Apple iStore. “The prime feature of the app allows citizens to access the closest artificial immersion spot from their home. After consultation with the civic body, we incorporated a database of artificial immersions sites from all 24 wards across Mumbai and directions to reach them,” said Pratik Jadhav, Ghatkopar based green enthusiast and founder of ecofriendlyganesha.com.

The new features include a ‘group chat’ option that provides live notifications from app developers and citizens, informing users about choked traffic junctions, popular pandals, alternate driving routes, locations of eco-friendly idols and suggestions on how to celebrate the festival at home.

The app can access pre-recorded videos and YouTube links of popular pandals. “We have developed these new features in a way similar to how we get feeds through other social media applications,” said Aniket Khade, who developed the app along with Siddhesh Chavan. “Steps to celebrate specific rituals during the festival can be followed in real-time through the app.”

Apart from cities in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, residents of Pune, Aurangabad and Raigad can use the features on the app.

Get rewarded for your environment-friendly ways:

Devotees using the artificial pond at Bhatwadi, Ghatkopar (West) for idol immersions this year will receive a sapling.

Eco Bappa app developers tied up with Deepak Hande, a corporator from Ghatkopar , to create a feature in the app that allows citizens to upload images during immersion at Ghatkopar. “Our idea is to make citizens aware of the pollution problem caused due to immersions at beaches,” said Hande. “The move will also help reduce traffic problems on immersion days in Mumbai.”

Features in the app

Eco Bappa maintains a contact database of shops selling environment-friendly idols in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Aurangabad, Palghar and Raigad

• YouTube links and pre-recorded videos show how to celebrate the festival at home and how to make green idols

• The app helps you in recycling idols

• It can locate an artificial immersion spot near your pandal

• The application shows how Bollywood celebrates eco-friendly Ganeshotsav

• It assists you with rituals dates

• You can Look at pictures and videos of eco-ganesha at home

• You can chat with users about traffic on roads during the festival

• The app suggests ways to make the celebrations less damaging to the environment