NDMC's digital platform to ensure time-bound disposal of complaints

With the beginning of March, officials of the Enforcement Building Regulation department of NDMC would have to dispose of the complaints regarding unauthorised construction in New Delhi area in a time-bound manner.

This is because the New Delhi Municipal Council has created an online platform, which would not only help people register complaint online, but also help the authorities to monitor the chain of action being taken by the officials on the ground.

The officials working on the project said the new initiative would promote transparency in the system because as per its provisions, the complainant would be informed about the action taken on their complaint every 15 days till closure of the case.

“The entire system has been digitised. The junior engineers would receive an SMS about the complaint filed for area under their jurisdiction. The concerned engineer would then survey the site and update the status report on the in-house digital platform. Similarly, the system would proceed higher up,” said the NDMC official.

The official said since the complainant has to be informed about the action taken every fortnight, the provision would completely weed out cases wherein the defaulter would not be able to get away by bribing the official. “The SMS sent to the complainant would contain the reason for which a particular action has been taken on his complaint. If the concerned officials files wrong report, the complainant is bound to object to it,” the official explained.

The junior engineers have been facilitated with laptops to file the status report from the ground itself. “The junior engineers have also been mandated to take suo motto action against any illegal construction which they come across,” the NDMC official said.

While the link through which complaints could be registered has been put on live mode already, the initiative is likely to become mandatory for the officials concerned from March 1.

According to the civic agency officials, the maximum cases of illegal construction in the New Delhi area is reported from commercial complexes. In case of the residential colonies, the maximum cases are reported from colonies in the fringe areas like B K Dutt colony near Jor Bagh, Bengali Market area and Aradhna Enclave near Moti Bagh.

Technicalities

* A special link for registering complaint on the website of NDMC
* Concerned JE would get an SMS regarding the complaint
* JE needs to survey and file report on the complaint
* Officials higher up would act on report
* Complainant would be apprised about the action taken every 15 days till closure of the complaint