The Hindu 07.10.2013
Metrowater to be part of common service centres
Metrowater proposes to open common service centres along with the Corporation and Tangedco.
At present, the water agency collects water and sewerage taxes and water charges at its head office in Chintadripet, in 15 area offices and 200 depot offices.
A Metrowater official said they were discussing the possibilities of setting up a common facility in each zone where consumers could pay all taxes and charges, including those payable to the Corporation and Metrowater. There are also plans to rope in Tangedco’s electricity bill counters.
Discussions are on to identify locations, type of network and infrastructure to set up the common facility. The respective departments will utilise the services of their staff members at the centres. However, the water agency will continue to collect taxes and charges from the existing counters in its offices. There are nearly 7.35 lakh consumers of the water agency, including the added areas.
The urban common service centres were proposed for city residents to cover a range of services such as applying for a passport, a new telephone connection and pay electricity bills.
The Chennai Corporation has intensified its search for more agencies for setting up the urban common service centres that will provide a one-stop solution to civic services.
The centres were proposed to be run by private agencies identified by the Corporation and facilitate easy access to services of all government departments. The Chennai Corporation commenced talks with Central government agencies and State government agencies a few weeks ago to commission such centres under the public-private-partnership mode.
Urban common service centres were proposed so residents could cover a range of services.
