Mumbai: Another BMC helpline, another ruse?

Activists say there are already several platforms to register civic complaints. Representation Pic/Satej Shinde

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has assured Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that it will launch a dedicated helpline to register complaints about unclean nullahs and garbage spots. However, activists say there are already several numbers and online platforms to register civic complaints, but most of the issues brought up remain unresolved.

To make complaints, the BMC has already made available the 1916 helpline, the MCGM 24'7 app, email IDs for all officials and ward offices concerned, a centralised Twitter handle (@mybmc) as well as one for each of the 24 wards and prominent departments, the MCGM website and a WhatsApp chatbot. There are even letterboxes to drop in complaints. There are also instances of services being prematurely terminated, like the pothole-tracking app that was launched in 2019 but taken down the next year. mid-day reached out to some civic and environmental activists who have been using these platforms over the past several years to raise complaints and asked about their experiences with the complaint civic body's grievance redressal system. Here is what they said.

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According to civic activist Anil Galgali, there is no need for a new helpline. "Instead, improving the existing system and fixing responsibility on the officers concerned will speed up the complaint redressal process. No work gets done through the current helpline. They are using a computer system, but it seems the officers are not receiving complaints." He added that Twitter is somewhat useful, "because if false information is uploaded by officers, the complainants can inspect the actual situation and expose them". Civic activist Godfrey Pimenta said all measures are only on paper. "Why have specific a nullah desilting helpline or a potholes complaint helpline when there is already a helpline (1916) for general complaints? And how many of these complaints get attended to? The whole system needs drastic changes. The happiness index of citizens is directly related to civic governance which is only worsening every passing day"

Zoru Bhathena, environmental activist, said Twitter is better than other platforms as everyone can see the response and react to it. Trivankumar Karnani, activist, Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF), said, "Instead, the focus should be on strengthening and addressing the shortcomings/lacunae in the already-established grievance redressal mechanisms. All the platforms have just one problem… delayed response with regard to the redressal of grievances. None of these mechanisms are effective to the extent of a two-way communication and having to update information regarding when the issue would be resolved."

Dhaval Shah, founder of Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association, said providing a dedicated number is a good idea considering the other platforms get flooded with complaints. "The current helplines cannot solve chronic fundamental issues, but I found Twitter is most effective followed by ‘1916'," he added. Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder member, Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA) said it would be a blessing if the new platform works. "But personally, I don't think it will as their entire system is rotten. Forget about action, the BMC doesn't even bother to reply!"

Feedback mechanisms to become a reality

In the budget estimates for 2023-24, the BMC said it will introduce feedback mechanisms for all online services. Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said on February 4 in his budget speech, "Feedback mechanisms will facilitate citizens to provide inputs and ratings for services and help in the improvement of service delivery. We will provide a civic complaint redressal dashboard and civic services-related information in dashboards. There will be tracking of complaints and applications and ward-wise comparison for effective performance." As per the budget, even quarterly status reports of projects will be made available online for citizens' information. The civic body claims that civic services data will be made available to citizens in easy formats with analytics. There is a provision of R46 crore for this in the 2023-24 budget.