Finally, a good word for BMC

Manju Mehta

Indian Express Newsline, March 27, 2000

After drawing the ire of Mumbaikars for their six day-long agitation, here’s a pat for both the staff and the muncipal administration.  A ‘Project Performance Report’ prepared by Praja, a non-governmental organisation working closely with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), shows that the archetypal stereotype about the sloth-like municipal worker and apathetic civic administration have changed, after all.

The study, which aimed to assess public opinion on the work done by the BMC and conducted by ORG-Marg, found that 60 percent of Mumbaikars feel that the BMC has made Mumbai a better place to live in, while 69 per cent rated the munipality as the best in the country.

However, only 22 per cent agreed that the BMC invited interaction with citizens to improve services.

The survey, conducted in all 24 wards in the city between December 1999 and January 2000, included only people aged 16 as the target group.  At least 150 people in each ward were inter viewed, keeping the number of male and female respondents equal.  Thus the total sample size was over 3,500.

It is a direct follow-up to the Citizen’s it has prepared as it seeks to use opinion polls/surveys to provide the BMC with evaluation and feedback on its performance according to the standards laid down in the charter.

Elected representatives and bureaucrats were rated by they survey, a process that will be incorporated into a comprehensive report card, which will be updated every six months.

The study also focused on 10 select civic departments, with whom citizens directly and frequently interact including the Solid Waste Management, License, Environment, Sewage Disposal and Water Supply departments.

The Solid Waste Management Department was found to be “average”.  Among the better services of this department are collection and transportation of garbage and sweeping of public roads, which, over one third of people rated as “good”.  The department, however, does poorest on maintenance of public toilets.  The staff too drew “average”  scores.

Among the findings were that 57 per cent of the sample believed that the BMC strives to raise the standard of public utilities, but 27 thought otherwise while five per cent preferred not to comment.

Only 45 per cent felt that the BMC keeps citizens well informed about various reforms and public utilities.  The BMC scored low on interaction with citizens.  Only one in five people agreed that the corporation invites interaction with the people to improve services and less than half felt that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation keeps citizens informed.

People felt that there is tremendous scope to improve the “approachability” and “prompt response” dimensions, the survey noted.

Only 43 per cent agreed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation took immediate action against complaints or emergencies.

As regards the Water Works Department, 70 per cent agreed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation supplies pure water, but only 49 per cent were of the opinion that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Corporation maintains its installations like waterlines.

The study also found that though some services like water works and traffic have been rated high, there are othres like environment and sewerage operations that leave tremendous scope of improvement.

Departments rated high were those with which there was frequent interaction with citizens, for various complaints and problems.

However only one-third of those who complained were satisfied with the action taken.

The study also found that the civic staff need to change their attitude and be more responsive to the people needs.

Comparisons across wards revealed that K-west and C (Colaba, Andheri, Charni Road) wards were the worst rated with regard to most public services.  One of the reasons could have been that citizens belonging to these areas have higher expectations.

Wards I. G-South and F-South (Kurla, Dadar, Parel) have been rated as the best.