BMC’s chatbot service finally operational

Garbage which was cleaned from the gutter before the rain at P D’Mello Road at Mazagaon. File Pic/Ashish Raje

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) WhatsApp chatbot service, which was to be launched on June 5, is finally up and running. Two days after mid-day's June 7 report on the number not working, the BMC said it has fixed some technical issues that required upgrades and relaunched the service on Wednesday. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde officially inaugurated the improved facility in the presence of Civic Chief I S Chahal.

Citizens can now report issues related to solid waste and debris through WhatsApp by sending a photograph and GPS location to the number 8169681697. To ensure smooth operation of this service, the BMC has assigned 350 junior superintendents. The civic body received 319 complaints concerning solid waste from Wednesday evening until Thursday evening.

Of these, 179 complaints had already been resolved and 57 complaints were not related to solid waste and debris. An official from the BMC stated, "We not only aim to resolve the complaints but also identify the underlying causes and take necessary action to keep the city clean."

Once the complaint has been addressed, the system will inform the complainant with relevant photographs. Citizens will also receive a complaint number, which they can use for follow-up if the issue is not resolved. The number given is solely dedicated to registering complaints about solid waste and debris. The assistant municipal commissioner of each ward will monitor the system, and the civic chief will conduct weekly reviews of the complaints.