Stop waiting for formal complaints on civic issues: MCG chief warns engineers of action

Gurgaon: In a sharp rebuke to the engineering wing of the MCG, commissioner Pradeep Dahiya on Tuesday ordered engineers to stop waiting for citizens to raise complaints before fixing basic civic problems. He warned them of strict action if there was any negligence in essential services. The warning came during a meeting at the MCG office attended by executive engineers, assistant engineers and junior engineers. Dahiya told the engineers they are directly responsible for maintaining roads, sewer lines, managing drinking water supply and street lights across the city. Lately, the engineers had become more reactive than proactive, he added.He instructed them to conduct regular field inspections and immediately address visible defects without waiting for formal grievances.Junior engineers were specifically told to remain active in their respective areas and ensure that faults are rectified promptly. The commissioner's remarks indicate growing dissatisfaction within the administration over the functioning of the field staff.During the meeting, Dahiya reviewed pending complaints on the "Mhari Sadak" and complaint handling system (CHS) portals and ordered time-bound disposal of all grievances. TOI reported on Feb 11 that as of Feb 7, Mhari Sadak app and portal received 8,204 complaints across Haryana. Of these, 1,482 were from Gurgaon and 1,522 from Faridabad. Data showed more than 66% of Gurgaon's complaints remain unresolved — 982 out of 1,482 were still marked "in progress", while only 430 were addressed.The commissioner also noted that delays not only inconvenience residents but also damage the civic body's credibility. "Officials should work in such a way that citizens do not need to lodge complaints," he said.