Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 23

Visitors to Sewa Kendra at the District Administrative Complex here are forced to wait for long for various services during early morning hours.

Residents claim that officials fail to reach their desks on time, following which services are being provided to the visitors at a slow pace.

Officials have moved the token counter inside the premises and the board mentioning charges collected for various services remains hidden. As such, people claimed that, officials charged the visitors as per their own will.

A team from The Tribune visited the Sewa Kendra this morning. Visitors, who reached here around 10 am, had to wait till noon to get their works done.

Ram Karan Verma, who reached the Sewa Kendra for service related to Aadhaar card, said he had to wait for more than an hour before his turn came.

“There are four counters for the service. Several people come here for works related to Aadhaar card, but the services are provided at a slow pace here. Only one counter is functional for this work. I reached here around 10 am and my token number was 20. Out of 50 people, only nine persons could visit the counter till noon,” he said.

Other visitors also complained that they had to wait for long.

Gurpratap, another visitor who was in queue for Aadhaar card-related services, said: “I am waiting for someone else. They were standing in the queue for long. So, I replaced them.”

Residents have sent written complaints to the District Administration. In one such complaint, a resident said: “There are lapses in the online system. This leads to loss of time.”

Meanwhile ADC (G) Pooja Syal Grewal said the issue of lapses at the Sewa Kendra reached her office as well. “It has been found out that people reach the Sewa Kendra much before the fixed time (9 am). This leads to rush. They are later forced to wait in queue.”

She said any matter of overcharging should be brought to the notice of her office and official responsible for the same would be penalised.