The Times of India              22.11.2010

Online system for new water connections?

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is toying with the idea of accepting applications for water connections online to cut down delays and corruption.

Presently, the Water Board accepts applications manually through the `single window cell' (SWC) at its head office at Khairatabad. "Processing of each application is taking at least a month. Physical inspection is mandatory to sanction a new water connection," HMWS&SB general manager, single window cell, S Anand Swaroop, told TOI.

The Board officials had also discovered that some employees were demanding bribe from applicants for processing their applications. To avoid this, the Board proposed to the launch online system, Swaroop said.

At present, the Water Board receives over 3,000 applications at SWC every month. The SWC staff forward these applications to divisions concerned. If the online system comes into vogue, the applicant need not visit SWC, Khairatabad. They can directly access the Board's website and fill up the form, the GM said.

Once the form is filled and submitted, the system would generate a date, time and name of the division. The applicant has to take a print-out, visit the division concerned with the necessary documents and pay the necessary fee either in cash or demand draft at the designated counter. Then, the system would generate a number just like a receipt. The applicant can track the status of his/her application on the website, the official added.

On their part, the staff manning the website would forward the application to the division in-charge concerned, who would verify it and send it to the engineering branch for physical inspection. Swaroop said help desks would be set up at Water Board offices to help applicants fill the online applications. The entire process would be completed within 10 minutes, he added.