Biometric punch-in now a must for all: MCG

MCG’s new attendance rules come into immediate effect, with all department heads instructed to ensure full and exception-free implementation across their respective units.

Published on: Jul 16, 2025, 06:04:12 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has made biometric attendance mandatory for all its officers and employees in a move aimed at improving workplace discipline and enhancing transparency. In an official order issued on Monday, MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya directed all departments and branches to strictly implement and comply with the updated attendance system.

(Representative image)Officials clarified that failure to mark biometric attendance will be considered unauthorised absence and could attract disciplinary action. (HT Archive)

Dahiya said timeliness and accountability are essential to an effective administrative system. “Citizens deserve prompt services, and that can only happen when employees perform their duties sincerely. This step will instil discipline at all levels and enhance administrative transparency,” he said.

As per the order, all staff across MCG branches, zonal offices, engineering wings, and field units are now required to mark their attendance biometrically at both arrival and departure. The move is aimed at instilling punctuality and accountability within the civic body, with the broader goal of improving service delivery to city residents.

Officials clarified that failure to mark biometric attendance will be considered unauthorised absence and could attract disciplinary action. Branch heads have been instructed to monitor compliance closely and act promptly in cases of negligence.

The MCG has also mandated that sanitation workers mark their attendance through the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Monitoring Portal, warning that failure to do so could result in withheld salaries. This move is part of the civic body’s wider push to integrate technology into governance and enhance operational efficiency.

“This initiative is not just about attendance, it’s about improving work culture and ensuring that citizens receive quality services on time,” said Dahiya, adding that the shift to digital monitoring aims to strengthen internal accountability and rebuild public trust in civic service delivery.

Over the past year, the MCG has been increasing its adoption of technology, from launching online grievance redressal platforms to introducing real-time waste tracking systems. The newly mandated biometric attendance policy is the latest in this reform push, aimed at making municipal governance in Gurugram more efficient, transparent, and citizen-focused.

The new attendance rules come into immediate effect, with all department heads instructed to ensure full and exception-free implementation across their respective units.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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