MCD officials told to meet public for an hour every day

Senior officers to meet public between 10 am and 11 am

After directing its officials to meet general public during working days without any prior appointment, the Delhi government has now directed the three municipal corporations to follow the same rule.

Sources said that after the directions, all heads of departments and other senior officials, including commissioners, will be meeting the general public on working days for an hour. Currently, the municipal commissioner and other senior officials, including the heads of departments, meet the general public without appointment only once a

week.

A well-placed source in the civic body told this newspaper that they have received an order from Delhi government directing officials to meet the public without appointment in their offices for one hour between 10 am and 11 am.

“An order copy signed by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and another from the secretary of administrative reforms, Rakesh Bali, has been received in which the civic officials — except the field staff — were directed to meet the public without prior appointment between 10 am and 11 am on every working day,” the source added.

The Delhi government, however, has not issued any specific order to the civic officials to meet the public for an hour without prior appointment, but has only forwarded two similar orders signed by Mr Kejriwal and Mr Bali to the corporations.

“It is true that we received a copy of the order meant for Delhi government officials from Mr Kejriwal, directing the chief secretary to ensure compliance. A similar order came from Mr Bali. Forwarding the same order to the civic bodies means that we have to follow the direction issued by the chief minister in the same spirit,” he said.

Now, the corporations are gearing up to follow the direction from Delhi government and making necessary arrangements like not scheduling any meeting during the time mentioned for seeing the public without appointment.

“Currently we follow the practice once a week. From now on, the practice will be extended to all five working days from Monday to Friday,” said a senior official.

◗ Currently, the municipal commissioner and other senior officials, including the heads of departments, meet the general public without appointment only once a week.