Ghaziabad corporation starts ‘Jan Chaupal’ in residential wards for addressing local complaints

To better connect with residents, the Ghaziabad municipal commissioner has initiated ‘Jan Chaupal’ where senior officers, the Mayor and the department heads go to

To better connect with residents, the Ghaziabad municipal commissioner has initiated ‘Jan Chaupal’ where senior officers, the Mayor and the department heads go to wards and hold direct interactions.

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“The idea is to address ward-level issues. There are many residents who find it difficult to come up to the corporation headquarters for seemingly small complaints like related to water supply, cleaning staff, dysfunctional street lights or even on the number of benches in parks,” said MS Tanwar, municipal commissioner, Ghaziabad. “So now the corporation will go to them.”

The chaupals have been happening since October 1 and the corporation has prepared a schedule to cover all 100 residential wards. Around three to four wards are covered a day and the chaupal is held from 8am to 10am in a park which is accessible to residents of the wards.

“When residents raise their issues, the concerned department heads note it down and begin the resolution process. The heads are also given a chance to speak and they tell the residents about the work they have been doing in the area. We hope to cover all 100 wards in 25 days. In next round, the process will continue,” Tanwar added.

Sant Ram, the local councillor from ward 51 of Sector 11 at Vijay Nagar, said that one such chaupal was held in his ward last week.

“The residents pointed out that walking track should be prepared at one of the parks and also raised issue of dysfunctional motor pump that affected water supply. After the issues were raised, the pump was rectified in 24 hours and the work for creation of walking track in park has also started,” he said. “In the next chaupal, we will update the officials on the work. In a way, the concept is well received by residents as they have small issues and many of them do not find suitable platform to lodge their complaints.”

Residents welfare associations (RWAs) said the opening of a complaint redressal call centre, on October 5, and initiation of the Jan Chaupal will help residents get more access to the corporation.

“Since it is a civic agency and handles local civic issues, the Jan Chaupal has provided residents with a way to connect to officials. Now, the residents will be able to speak out issues concerning their area. We appreciate the initiative and it must go on,” said Colonel (retired) TP Tyagi, president of flat owners’ federation.