Unresponsive GHMC: Helplines are not helping

Hyderabad: A majority of civic complaints to the GHMC, lodged either through call centre, MyGHMC app or online, are pending for days or are closed by officials without resolution. If someone answers at 040-21111111, a 24x7 call centre, and takes the complaint, it is forwarded to the department concerned but the status is kept pending.

Mr Ashwin Kumar, president of the Shanthinagar Welfare Association, said he had lodged a complaint regarding an illegal construction on the footpath of Shanthinagar Colony, which is causing problems to residents on April 22 the MyGHMC App (ID- 22041773922).

A picture grab of a complaint filed by the president of the Shanthinagar Welfare Association. Despite the complaint not being attended too, the status shows closed. (Photo: DC)

“I received an acknowledgment stating the complaint was assigned to deputy commissioner D. Pradeep Kumar. Officials visited the site but nothing changed. On May 8, when I checked the status, it said ‘closed’. The encroachment was not removed and the builder still continues to encroach”.

A picture grab of a complaint filed by the president of the Shanthinagar Welfare Association. Despite the complaint not being attended too, the status shows closed. (Photo: DC)

A resident from Uppal, Mr R. Raj, said, “We have complained five times through the GHMC call centre and manually too about the illegal construction of a compound wall at Sharadanagar Road No. 2. No action has been taken so far. We have documents to show that the place is a road. How can a road be registered by the sub-registrar’s office?”

DC reader Raja Shekar N. from Bapunagar wrote in to say that locals were throwing garbage every day adjacent to his house beside Bhavani Brothers showroom near the HDFC ATM at Langer Houz.

This was creating a stink and creating a health hazard. “Please pass this message to the department concerned. I have complained through the GHMC helpline and called customer care to resolve the problem but they failed to take action,” he wrote.

Some lucky residents have found that complaining on the website www.ghmc.gov.in is more effective. Most complaints were regarding illegal constructions, damaged roads, non-functioning of streetlights, stray dogs, garbage removal and mosquitoes. Expectedly, few were attended to.

You can vent in many ways
Website: www.ghmc.gov.in
Call centre: 040-21111111
Helpline: 155304
Emergency: 100
App: MyGHMC
Departments that get most complaints

•  Health and sanitation
•  Town planning
•  Electrical
•  Veterinary
•  Property tax
•  Engineering (for damaged roads)

Most complaints were regarding illegal constructions, damaged roads, non-functioning of streetlights, stray dogs.