Bengaluru: WhatsApp for exchanging pleasantries, WhatsApp for sharing photos and for a casual chat with friends. So, why not WhatsApp for resolving civic issues?
Realising how painful it is to live in a city dotted with back-breaking potholes, never ending power blackouts and drains which get flooded with the first rain, a city-based techie has constituted a WhatsApp group to get civic issues resolved, without having to make numerous trips to government offices. The techie, Vignan, along with residents of Sanjay Nagar and Radhakrishna wards in Hebbal, formed the group, comprising officials from BBMP, BWSSB, Bescom, the jurisdictional police, civic contractors and local residents. “Anyone who finds a civic problem which needs to be fixed, can click a photograph and post it on the group site. The officer concerned will take necessary action to resolve it and also inform the group about the action taken. It saves us the time and trouble of approaching various offices.”
For example, if a resident sights a flex board on the street, he will click a photograph and put it on the site. The BBMP official will go to the spot to check and resolve the problem and may even take a video of workers removing the flex and put it on the group site.
A resident said, "The WhatsApp group has become a platform where people are actively involved with government officials to get problems fixed. There is no need to run to the BBMP or other government offices."
He spoke of how the group posted pictures of officials digging up roads to lay gas pipelines and not restoring the road properly. "The BBMP Commissioner immediately asked the officials to fill up the road and the work was done on the same day," he added.
When asked how he struck on the idea, Vignan said, "We were always trying to find officials to solve civic issues and it never used to happen. The local residents got together and decided that a WhatsApp group with all officials included, would serve the purpose."
"Every ward should come up with a WhatsApp group which will be effective for building a better city," he added.
