Bengaluru: A major portion of complaints received on various Sahaaya 3.0 platforms have been directed at the BBMP's electrical division, with non-functional streetlights being a long-standing concern for citizens.
Despite the BBMP allocating nearly Rs 350 crore annually for streetlight maintenance, the issue persists.
The road infrastructure division ranks second in terms of complaints, as citizens have voiced frustrations over poor road conditions, footpath encroachments and related issues.
Between January 2023 and September 2024, the BBMP received a total of 2.37 lakh complaints, primarily through its helpline (1533), followed by the Sahaaya mobile app (73,606), WhatsApp (23,003), the Chief Minister’s Office (691) and social media (951). Complaints reported by newspapers were also included.
Although the BBMP claims to have resolved most complaints, leaving only 6,875 pending, many citizens have reported that engineers often close tickets without fully addressing the issues.
Of the pending complaints, 1,105 are related to road infrastructure, including unauthorised road cutting, footpath encroachments, uncleared debris, blocked roadside drains, water stagnation, potholes and overhanging cables.
While the electrical division has the most complaints, it is reportedly quicker to respond. The second-highest number of unresolved complaints comes from the BBMP's health division, with issues such as delays in issuing trade licences, noise pollution and mosquito control.
The electrical division ranks third in pending complaints, followed by solid waste management and the forest division. The town planning division, despite rampant unauthorised constructions, has only 43 unresolved cases.
The BBMP tracks complaints under 22 categories across eight zones, with Mahadevapura leading in complaints, followed by East and South zones. Bommanahalli and Yelahanka also reported a high number of complaints due to rapid development.
Although the BBMP has implemented several changes to improve the complaint redressal system, there appears to be resistance from overburdened engineers on the ground.