Host of schemes take off today

Never mind the date, these are foolproof
Host of schemes take off today
The Times of India

Bangalore: Wake up to an April 1 when our civic agencies go to town with a host of packages. BMTC adds 10 new bus routes and sets up a call centre to address passengers’ complaints. Bescom launches spot billing and BDA opens its e-Pragati kiosks.

Don’t frown. It’s not a ploy, just coincidence. All Fool’s Day happens to be a busy day for officials.

BMTC:
The coincidence amuses BMTC managing director Upendra Tripathi, but he is unfazed. “People are not being made ‘April Fools here,’’ he insists.

The call centre operation has been outsourced to Spanco Telesystems. Tripathi will not reveal the call centre’s location before the official launch but says that Spanco will handle all complaints related to late-running and “give us a daily report. They will also build a database for us.’’

The call centre number is now an eight-digit one and will be changed into four digits as soon as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd grants it. As on Wednesday, the change hadn’t happened. BMTC also plans an interactive voice response system for passenger queries.

The new routes will operate to and from Cantonment railway station, Jayanagar bus station, BCC headquarters and Malleswaram.

Bescom:
Spot billing, which is to start in Yelahanka on Friday, will be spread to other parts of the city in the subsequent weeks. Consumers get bills on the spot but can pay later through kiosks, electronic clearance scheme or cash counters.

BDA:
The authority’s e-Pragati kiosks will be opened in HBR Layout and at BDA head office. A BDA note stated citizens can pay their property taxes (through cash, cheque and DDs, and later, through credit cards) as well as register their complaints online.

By paying a prescribed fee, you can download information. The kiosk will also have details about survey numbers notified in the final notifications for the Arkavathi and Hi-Tech City projects. You can also check out Arkavathy refund details through the kiosks.

Later in the month, BDA will also launch a citizens’ charter and formally announce its already operational online complaint management system. Commissioner M.N. Vidyashankar says tenders will also be finalised for its Airport Road/Jayadeva flyovers and other projects.

BWSSB:
Nothing on April 1, but work on the board’s much-delayed Greater Bangalore Water Supply Project to provide Cauvery water to seven city municipal councils/ one town municipal council begins this month.

Bangalore One:
From April 2, the state e-governance department’s pet ‘one-stop-shop’ project will open in 14 places — Jayanagar 2nd Block, Yeshwanthpur, R.T. Nagar, Rajajinagar, Banashankari, Vijayanagar, HBR Layout, Airport Road, J.P. Nagar, Malleswaram, Nagarbhavi, Shantinagar, Cox Town and Kalasipalayam. Citizens can access the services of BCC, Bescom, RTO, BSNL, BWSSB, commercial taxes, passport, police and stamps & registration, at these centres.

An action-packed month indeed.