Mysuru City Corporation asks citizens to send rain-related plaints on WhatsApp

Mysuru: In a clear illustration of its intent to use technology to reach out to citizens, and subsequently learn of the civic problems affecting them, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), which had previously established a dedicated control room to deal with rain-related problems, has invited residents to share their grievances via WhatsApp.
The initiative is reportedly the brainchild of MCC commissioner Shilpa Nag, who gave the personnel at the control room a smartphone that will serve as the civic body’s interface with citizens as Mysuru braces for more rain. Citizens can send photographs and videos to the MCC’s WhatsApp number to provide the civic agency with an accurate picture of the problems they are faced with. The complaints must be accompanied by the address and location of the site of the problem.
The damage wrought to the city’s infrastructure by pre-monsoon showers in the past two weeks foreshadows the problems Mysuru might be confronted with in the wake of the onset of the monsoon, scheduled for landfall in Kerala in the first week of June. Overflowing drains, uprooted trees and fallen electricity poles are among the common plaints that the MCC office is flooded with when it pours in the city. However, the sheer volume of complaints makes it incredibly hard for citizens to register their grievance over the phone. Switching to the messaging platform, the use of which has proliferated over the years, is being touted as an ideal way to address citizens’ woes more quickly.
MCC commissioner Shilpa said that use of WhatsApp would turn the grievance redressal process into a hassle-free procedure. “We have set up four control rooms, and the staff at these centres can be reached at any time of the day. Four individuals will work in three shifts,” Shilpa added.
The procedure of tackling civic woes, however, remains the same for complaints registered on WhatsApp. Once a citizen sends a complaint on WhatsApp, along with the address and phone number, a confirmation message is relayed. MCC receives nearly 300 complaints from residents every day. The three assembly constituencies in the city – Krishnaraja, Chamaraja and Narasimharaja – is assigned in an Abhaya team, the members of which will tackle civic problems in their respective jurisdiction. Complaints pertaining to underground drains, however, will be referred to MCC’s engineering section.
Latha, an operator at one of the MCC’s control rooms, said that the number of complaints they received rose exponentially during the rainy season. “All complaints will be dealt with in a matter of 24 hours. Complainants can even track the progress of their complaints. We tend to receive most plaints during the morning. Although it has been three months since we launched the WhatsApp number to help citizens communicate their problems to MCC, it is not being used as widely. But we are confident of the number gaining popularity among the residents,” Latha told TOI.
Civic woes galore
*Underground drainage cases are mostly registered from areas around Police Quarters, Jockey Quarters and Gayathripuram owing to the ancient pipeline system in these localities
*Localities such as Gandhi Nagar, Lashkar Mohalla, Mandi Mohalla, Devaraja Mohalla and areas around Lansdowne Building are among those from where MCC receives a large number complaints pertaining to dumping of garbage
Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) control room numbers: 0821-2440890; 0821-2418800; 0821-2418816; 0821-2431112
WhatsApp Number: 9449841195