Ambala MC’s doorstep delivery of services a hit

The Ambala municipal corporation’s doorstep delivery of services, the first in the state, is being lauded as a change-maker.

The service that was officially kicked off on July 28 by city MLA Aseem Goel and commissioner Parth Gupta offers delivery of birth, death and marriage certificates, at the doorstep of the applicants.

As per the figures shared by officials, the civic body had received more than 9,500 applications till December 31, out of which nearly 9,100 applicants had received their documents.

Rest of the applications were still incomplete due to non-furnishing of required documents by the applicants, an official involved in the process said.

In addition to the facility-related fees, an additional ₹100 is to be paid as service charge that can be paid through cash or BHIM app.

Services applied through WhatsApp

As per the process, the applicant has to apply for the service through the WhatsApp numbers or a calling number, on which all information related to the facilities is available.

The field staff will call the applicant and enquire about the documents, and then they will coordinate on a call, said Sunil, a member of the field staff.

“After getting all the required documents, the certificate is issued within 2-3 days, depending upon the availability of applicants,” he said.

Dr Rishipal of Sector 7, who had applied for a death certificate of his father, said, “I liked the process where I didn’t have to visit the municipal office even once and I could avoid standing in long queues. I received my certificate a day after the staff came home to take my documents.”

City residents Sandeep, who had applied for a birth certificate, and Bharat Jain, who had applied for a marriage certificate, also appreciated the timely service.

Commissioner Parth Gupta said, “We were the first in the state to start such a service and we’ve received an overwhelming response. The service charge is also nominal and doesn’t create a financial burden. Earlier, the applicant had to visit the office twice or thrice to get the certificates physically. Also, due to the pandemic, residents still avoid going to crowded places and this service gives them an option to stay at home.”

Mayor Shakti Rani Sharma said that she’ll discuss with the officials and consider that other services related to properties be added to this process soon.