Latest news with #PCMCPotholeManagement
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
PCMC's new pothole complaint app fails to gain traction
Pune: Over three weeks since its launch, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's (PCMC) dedicated "PCMC Pothole Management" app — designed to streamline pothole reporting — is struggling to gain widespread public adoption. Launched on June 1, the app was intended to provide residents with an easy way to report road defects in their neighborhoods. However, civic officials indicate that most citizens are still relying on established platforms, with only a handful embracing the new tool. A senior PCMC official confirmed that the majority of complaints continue to be filed through the older "Smart Saarthi" app or by calling the municipal helpline. Since its introduction, the new pothole app has received just 150 complaints, averaging just six to seven reports per day. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Explaining the sluggish response, the official attributed it to a general lack of public awareness about the new platform. "Despite our efforts to promote the app on social media and other platforms, the response has been minimal," the official stated, adding that the PCMC plans to intensify its promotional activities to reach a broader segment of citizens. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Another factor hampering the app's reach is its current unavailability on the iOS devices, leaving iPhone users unable to access it. The civic body is collaborating with its technical team to resolve this issue and make the app available for all residents. Some users also reported technical glitches like delayed OTPs during registration and errors while submitting complaints. Additionally, the app requires users to capture and upload a live photo of the pothole at the time of lodging a complaint, which some residents find inconvenient. "Often, we take a photo while passing by and upload it later, but the new app doesn't allow this flexibility, which could discourage people from using it," a resident of Pimpri said.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
PCMC introduces dedicated app for pothole complaints, residents under PMC limits also demand quick response
Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has launched a dedicated mobile app to enable citizens to directly report potholes in their localities. The 'PCMC Pothole Management' app aims to streamline the complaint process, ensure quicker responses, and enhance road maintenance, especially during the monsoon. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A PCMC official told TOI that residents can upload geo-tagged photos of potholes through the app, allowing the civic body to pinpoint exact locations and assign the issue to the junior engineer concerned. Citizens will also be able to track the real-time status of their complaints through the app. Devanna Gattuwar, executive engineer from PCMC's civil department, said that once a pothole complaint is received, the designated official is expected to resolve the issue within eight days. "After completing repairs, officials must upload a photo of the site to the app, which is visible to the complainant. This ensures transparency and accountability," Gattuwar added. The app also enables senior PCMC officers to monitor progress and take action if complaints remain unresolved. The pending issues are escalated to higher authorities for timely redressal. In two days after its launch, the app has already received 16 complaints, said Gattuwar. Citizens can also continue to use the existing 'Saarthi' helpline or its app to report potholes. At present, the civic body receives an average of six to seven pothole-related complaints under each ward office's limits per day through the helpline. The early arrival of the monsoon this year disrupted PCMC's road maintenance schedule, prompting a possibility of increased complaints. Gattuwar explained that utility agencies involved in laying cables and pipelines were supposed to complete resurfacing work by June 1, but rain has affected the timeline. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "We are now expediting repair work to minimise inconvenience to the public," he told TOI. Meanwhile, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) years ago introduced helplines for citizens to lodge complaints about potholes in their areas — this can be done over landline phones or an online complaint system called 'PMC Care'. However, residents and activists asserted that this system needs to be more effective. "We lodged a complaint about potholes and other pre-monsoon related works in our area through the online system, but the reaction time for resolving the complaint is very high. The redressal should be fast," Bavdhan resident Ashwini Pathak said. Sanjay Shitole, an activist from the social group Pune City Eye, claimed PMC's complaint system is "just a formality". "Many times, complaints related to potholes or bad roads are resolved only on paper while the situation on ground remains as is. Action should be taken against officials who are not acting on citizens' issues," he said. PMC's road department head Aniruddha Pawaskar refuted, "A decentralised system has been introduced for quick redressal of such complaints. Issues raised by citizens are categorised as per location and forwarded to local ward offices for swift action. Initiatives like road ambulances have also been introduced to address pothole complaints during the monsoon period." Finish road works by June 7: PMC On Monday, a meeting was held by PMC additional commissioner Omprakash Divate to review ongoing road digging works. Divate has asked all departments to finish reinstatement of routes by June 7. He also asked various department heads to check on the quality of repair works. Officials from the road, drainage, and electrical departments attended the meeting.
