Indian Express 24.02.2010
LMC plans toll-free number to address customer complaints
NEHA Tags : LMC, lucknow Posted: Wednesday, Feb 24, 2010 at 0159 hrs
Lucknow: The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is planning to introduce a centralised grievance management system to address the complaints of the customers. The timeframe for the proposed system is yet to be decided.Alok Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Urban Development and Environment, said: “We plan to get a toll-free number where the complainants can register their complaints. Once the complaint is registered, the complainant can track the status of it online. Currently, we are considering the proposal in this concern.”
The civic body has asked for a proposal in this concern from a Delhi-based firm, Vayamtech Technologies Limited. The estimated cost of the system is around Rs 3 crore.
According to the proposal, once a complaint is registered, it will be transferred to the zonal official of the area concerned through text messages and emails. The complainant will be given a complaint number with the help of which the person can track its status online on the website.
The move will be beneficial for the administration as they can view the number of complaints made in their department online and can monitor its status as well, said an official.
“We were approached by the LMC. We have already given our presentation,” said a senior official of Vayamtech Technologies Limited.
According to the official, in the present system, a complainant is unable to identify the person who took the complaint and which official has the complaint been directed to.
With the help of this system, the information will be available online. Once the complaint has been attended, a call will be made to the complainant asking them whether their complaint has been attended. Unless they say that they are satisfied in the manner their complaint has been attended, their complaint will not be closed.
“Our model is successfully being implemented in Defence areas in Lucknow, Mumbai and Jaipur,” added the official.
Currently, a complainant registers a complaint with the civic body by calling up the control room. “Once a complaint is registered, a copy of it is send to the senior officials of the concerning department while another copy is maintained in the registers. Sometimes we do check up with the complainant to know whether their grievances have been addressed,” said Rajeshwar Singh, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of LMC.
