BMC to overhaul citizen services, 9-member committee formed

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai plans to overhaul its citizen services and license processes to improve ease of doing business. The BMC aims to make all ward level permissions/licenses available online, similar to passport applications and ITR filing. A nine-member committee has been formed to gather suggestions from citizens, and the new process is expected to be operational within three months. The BMC also plans to introduce comprehensive document submission and transparency in the application process.

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will overhaul its citizen services and license processes under ease of doing business.

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The civic body said it aims to bring the process on par with passport application and ITR filing. All ward level permissions/licenses including that of business licenses will be made online bringing in transparency and efficiency, said the BMC. The process is expected to be operational within the next three months.

To further this process, Sudhakar Shinde, additional municipal commissioner, has formed a nine-member committee to invite suggestions from citizens. In a press statement, the BMC said suggestions can be sent to their email address chief.bdd@mcgm.gov.in by August 20.

The BMC said that the new process will be comprehensive and all of it will be done through their portal.

“Whenever there is an application to be made, it will have to be submitted with comprehensive supporting documents,” said Shinde.

“If there is any lacuna in the document submission, the process will not proceed further. Once the application is sent with all the documents, officials will have no choice but to approve it,” he added.

Shinde said that the decision was taken after he had received complaints about delays, favour, harassment, etc in the offline application process. He added this is not just about overhauling the documentation process but also aims to bring transparency.

The nine-member committee formed will study the kind of queries asked, documents required for the application process, forms required, etc. in a time-bound manner.

The committee is headed by Vishwas Shankarvar, deputy municipal commissioner (DMC), Zone 4, and the members include officials from various departments such as the health department, fire, ward officer, etc.

Other members are Sanjog Kabare, deputy commissioner (Special), Sanjay Kurhade, deputy commissioner (Public Health), Dr Daksha Shah, executive health officer, Sunil Rathod, chief engineer (Development Plan), Shashi Bala, chief officer (Business Development), Ravindra Ambulgekar, chief fire officer, Dr Prithviraj Chauhan, assistant commissioner (K West) and Sanjay Nirmal, executive engineer.