Gurugram residents seek civic action after MCG calls for ideas from locals, startups

From sanitation and stray animal control to air quality and waste processing, they say it’s time for the civic body to move beyond proposals.

As the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) wraps up its latest idea-gathering initiative to tackle urban challenges, the residents are calling for more than just paperwork, they want concrete, on-ground action.

While many residents have welcomed the move, they point out that similar initiatives in the past have often failed to move beyond paperwork. (HT Archive)

From sanitation and stray animal control to air quality and waste processing, they say it’s time for the civic body to move beyond proposals.

While many residents have welcomed the move, they point out that similar initiatives in the past have often failed to move beyond paperwork. Gauri Sarin, founder of Making Model Gurugram (MMG), said, “Civil society members have tried their best to get the attention of the new MCG team to support and share ground reality-based solutions—both tech and non-tech.”

Detailed proposals on pollution, waste management, construction and demolition waste, digitisation of plotted colony services, and asset management, with recommendations on waterlogging, sewerage, encroachment, animal control, and sanitation had already been submitted. However, after an hour-long meeting with officials, there was no follow-up on the same.

Sarin criticised the civic body for releasing a public notice in lieu of a deeper collaboration with the public.

“This has been done by earlier MCG commissioners to cover up the lack of citizen engagement. Without discussion to grasp potential approaches, IT enablement remains a feeble means to make processes more transparent, speedy, and accountable. Human interface, knowledge of the ground realities, and project management capability must come first—followed by technology,” she said.

Pravin Kaushal, tech and social entrepreneur and advisor at Antino Labs said, “This call from MCG is a welcome step towards making Gurugram a smart, citizen-driven city. My vision with RaastaFix and other civic-tech initiatives is perfectly aligned with these goals—leveraging simple, AI-powered tools to enable citizens to report issues instantly, track resolution transparently, and hold all stakeholders accountable.”

He added that active collaboration between citizens, RWAs, agencies, and policymakers is the key to solve challenges like potholes, garbage, and air quality and said, “I believe this is the moment to turn civic participation into measurable impact.”

Nilesh Tandon, president of Fresco Apartment RWA in Sector 50, said, “While the MCG’s move is positive, execution is everything. We have seen enough surveys, notices, and token consultations. What Gurugram needs is a direct action plan—clear timelines, defined accountability, and genuine on-ground work.”

With the deadline for submissions just days away, residents hope that the exercise will not remain a public relations gesture but evolve into a sustained, results-oriented partnership between the MCG and the city’s communities.