Ludhiana: This monsoon, residents may be able to do more about monsoon woes than simply fret about them. In a first-of-its-kind initiative to ensure quick redressal of civic complaints during the monsoon season, the MC launched a dedicated 24×7 monsoon helpline and WhatsApp Chatbot on Thursday. The move is aimed at providing residents with a single platform to report rain-related problems and improve response time.The service was inaugurated at the MC’s Zone D office in Sarabha Nagar. Residents can now report issues such as waterlogging, blocked sewer lines, damaged roads, fallen trees and other monsoon-related concerns by calling 90867-91867. The number can also be used to access the newly-introduced WhatsApp chatbot.Officials said the chatbot has been designed to simplify the complaint registration process. Citizens only need to send a WhatsApp message to the helpline number, following which the automated system will guide them through the process of filing a complaint. Complainants can provide details such as the nature of the issue, address and ward number, besides uploading photographs to support their grievance.After a complaint is lodged, the system automatically generates a complaint ID and shares the contact number of the civic official responsible for addressing the issue. According to the MC, rapid action teams have been deployed at the zonal level to ensure swift resolution of complaints received through the platform.To strengthen monitoring and coordination, the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) at the Zone D office has been converted into a dedicated “monsoon war room”. The facility will function round the clock and monitor the city through nearly 1,700 CCTV cameras installed across Ludhiana. Dedicated staff posted at the centre will track complaints received from residents and immediately forward them to the concerned officials and field teams.MC officials said employees from the operation and maintenance cell as well as the roads and buildings branch have been assigned to the task. Apart from handling citizen complaints, teams stationed at the ICCC will closely monitor low-lying and vulnerable areas that have historically witnessed waterlogging during heavy rains.MC commissioner Ojasvi Alankar said the technology-driven initiative would improve coordination among different wings of the civic body and reduce the time taken to respond to emergencies. He urged residents to make use of the helpline and chatbot, assuring them that all complaints would be recorded, monitored and addressed on priority. He added that the civic body had completed advance preparations for the monsoon season and was continuously reviewing the situation on the ground.Box 1: How to File a Monsoon Complaint–Dial 90867-91867 to register a complaint–Send a WhatsApp message to 90867-91867–Follow the chatbot instructions–Enter complaint details–Upload supporting photographs, if available–Submit the complaint–Receive a Complaint ID instantly–Get the contact number of the official assigned to resolve the issueBox 3: What Details Need to Be Submitted?–Nature of the problem–Complete address/location–Ward number–Mobile number (if required)–Photo of the affected site (optional but recommended)
