Today 388

Yesterday 897

All 39397044

Friday, 29.03.2024
eGovernment Forschung seit 2001 | eGovernment Research since 2001

The cell works on the age-old technique of complaints via call, which are then handwritten and passed on to the department concerned. This not only increases the response time but the data too is not recorded in a digitised format, which is essential for future interventions.

A Smart City like Pune lacks an upgraded disaster management cell, often leading to slow response time to clarion calls from citizens, who seek assistance from the civic administration during calamities.

The cell works on the age-old technique of complaints via call, which are then handwritten and passed on to the department concerned. This not only increases the response time but the data too is not recorded in a digitised format, which is essential for future interventions.

Though the city is modernising in every aspect, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) disaster management cell has not being able to cope with the times. The cell only responds to emergency calls and has a lot of room for improvement.

In contrast to this, the Smart City's Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC) is far superior when it comes to technology and data analysis. The PMC's disaster management cell relies on camera footage from the traffic department, phone calls from citizens or complaints on social media. The disaster management officer (DMO) has also been given the additional responsibility of the Bhawani Peth ward office even as monsoon has already arrived in the city.

Moreover, Hemant Sonune, the chief of the disaster management cell, is often found missing from the cell.

At present, the cell gets video recordings from the traffic department and there are about 1,250 cameras in the cell. However, upon visiting the cell, most of the cameras were not functioning and were located only along the highways.

The cell receives about 300-350 calls daily all of which are currently handwritten by the existing staff, who then forward the message by calling up the respective departments.

One of the personnel from the cell said, “We have about five people working in each shift in three shifts. The cell is manned 24 hours and each call is attended by personnel from the PMC, fire department and the police. There are five phone lines and each complaint is handwritten with details of the complainant, location and then they are informed to the ward or the departments concerned. The shift changes thrice a day 7am to 2pm, 2pm to 9pm and 9pm to 7am.”

At present, everything is done physically, which delays the response time. Sonune said, “The modernisation process is currently at the concept level and multiple departments are involved in the process. The PMC hopes to improve the system so as to send each complaint directly via SMS to the department concerned, thereby improving the response time.”

On the contrary, under the Smart City initiative, the smart elements include a control room wherein all the CCTV cameras from the traffic police department are connected and in addition to this there are 136 emergency call boxes located at various places, which can be used to make audio or video calls by citizens to raise concerns.

There are also 161 variable message displays and flood intimation systems along the Mutha river right from Khadakwasla to intimate residents of rising water levels.

---

Autor(en)/Author(s): Steffy Thevar

Quelle/Source: ET CIO, 22.06.2022

Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:

Go to top