The Hindu 07.01.2014
GHMC town planning services to go online
New service from Feb. 1, says Commissioner
Come February 1, all the services and permissions from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) town planning wing will go online. The required software and paraphernalia is being set up and trial runs have been scheduled to start from January 20.
Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar said the online service would allow an applicant to furnish all the details and upload required maps for seeking building and other permissions. The required fee payment could be either made online through credit/debit card or through demand draft at Mee Seva services.
“Most of the complaints from citizens relate to town planning hence, we are initiating this facility which will speed up the processing and also fix accountability on officers concerned to act in time,” he said, adding that a time frame for processing the applications would be fixed and officials who delay beyond the same would be liable for a penalty of Rs.50 per day.
An online application as it moves from one officer to another and one section to another would get date stamped, which would give a clear picture on the progress of processing. “Our officials and staff who visit a site for inspection and verification will have to click a picture and append it to the file and thus entire history of the file is available at a click,” Mr.Somesh Kumar said.
The new system when introduced would not only ensure that citizens’ applications were not delayed unnecessarily but also usher in transparency, he observed.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner also decided to launch a campaign to spread information and awareness on various regulations such as setbacks and others to be followed for buildings. Apart from other modes, a booklet with relevant information, guidelines and rule provisions, all simplified for easy comprehension, would be launched soon, he said.
To tap social media
The GHMC also decided to tap into the social media to receive complaints and grievances and a mobile app was also being developed exclusively to enable citizens send photographs related to lapses in civic amenities.
The Commissioner also stressed the importance of receiving grievances and feedback from the citizens for better functioning and spoke about popularising the GHMC 24X7 grievance related toll free number 155304. “We receive just 300 or so grievances daily which I feel is very little compared to city’s size and a population of 70 lakhs,” he added.