The Chandigarh municipal corporation plans to bring the mayor to the doorsteps of residents with the initiative of ‘Mayor Aapke Dwar’, an interactive feedback session of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) with the mayor and the commissioner of the civic body.
The meetings will be bi-annual (twice a year). With elections for a new MC House due in December this year, the mayor is expected to start these meeting from September 15 and cover all 26 wards by the end of the month, with two wards a day.
New MC commissioner Anindita Mitra had mooted the proposal to hold these meetings. “The aim is to make the MC more citizen-centric. Residents should be active participants in the decision-making process at the MC. These meetings will allow a direct line of communication between the MC and the residents,” said Mitra, adding, “We will seek priority lists from residents on areas of urgent concern and long-term needs. After these are with us, MC teams will make spot inspections in wards and take remedial steps.”
Mayor Ravi Kant Sharma said, “The ‘Mayor Aapke Dwar’ initiative will help bridge the gap between the citizens and the MC. We will be going to residents for resolving their problems and for direct feedback on the working of the MC. Suggestions will be solicited to improve our working.”
{{/usCountry}}Mayor Ravi Kant Sharma said, “The ‘Mayor Aapke Dwar’ initiative will help bridge the gap between the citizens and the MC. We will be going to residents for resolving their problems and for direct feedback on the working of the MC. Suggestions will be solicited to improve our working.”
{{/usCountry}}Over the past six months, the MC has faced flak from RWAs on issues like the water tariff hike that was done without taking these bodies into confidence. Finally, after multiple resolutions in the MC House, the UT administration stayed the hike till March 2022.
Another recent issue of resentment among the RWAs was the unsatisfactory implementation of the door-to-door garbage collection. RWAs have been repeatedly raising objections over the MC’s handling of garbage collection since December 2020. Inflated garbage collection charges added to the water bills have also stoked residents’ anger.
Hitesh Puri, Chairman CRAWFED, said, “We also request that the MC should prepare an action taken report that residents will give.”
As a significant aside to the ‘Mayor Aapke Dwar’ initiative, the BJP will have to contend with anti-incumbency in the December elections, with the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party expected to rake up its perceived failures.