Praja foundation report: Complaints on civic issues rise by 49%

Most complaints were related to buildings and drains, while there was a significant increase in complaints relating to shops and establishments. (File)

Complaints filed by residents on civic issues rose by 49 per cent between 2015 and 2017, shows data released by NGO Praja Foundation. Most complaints were related to buildings and drains, while there was a significant increase in complaints relating to shops and establishments, and on solid waste management. According to the data, close to 80,490 complaints were registered in 2014; 67,835 in 2015 and 81,555 in 2016, which increased to 92,329 complaints registered in 2017.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) took an average 48 days to resolve complaints, according to the report. Maximum services for complaint resolution were in the Gardens Department (96 per cent) and the least services provided for complaints redressal was in the solid waste management department (16 per cent). In 2017, complaints pertaining to drainage issues (15,940) were the most frequent, constituting almost one-fifth (17 per cent) of the total complaints.

The report stated: “Over the last three years, complaints related to licences, drainage and solid waste management have steadily increased while complaints related to water supply and roads have gone down. This shows that Mumbaikars are not happy by the civic body’s lack of preparedness for the monsoon, on garbage and ease of doing business,” the report pointed out.

“As far as the citizen is concerned good quality service and an effective response to citizens’ complaints is what matters to them the most. Looking at the data we have, we see a total lack of concern for citizens and their problems. For example, the average number of days taken to resolve the complaints have gone up from 15 days in 2015 to 48 days in 2017,” said Nitai Mehta, founder and managing trustee of Praja Foundation.

A senior BMC official said, “Number of complains have increased after we launched the online complaints portal. It is just that more and more people are coming out to report civic issues in their area. We do not wish to comment on the Praja report.” The civic body in November 2017 had said Praja Foundation had misinterpreted and misrepresented data.