MCG Commissioner Issues Stern Warning to Engineering Staff Over Civic Negligence
In a strongly worded directive, Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya on Tuesday delivered a sharp rebuke to the civic body's engineering wing, ordering officials to abandon their reactive approach and proactively address basic civic problems without waiting for citizens to file complaints.
Strict Action Threatened for Service Failures
During a meeting at the MCG office attended by executive engineers, assistant engineers and junior engineers, Dahiya warned of strict disciplinary action against any negligence in essential services. The commissioner emphasized that engineers bear direct responsibility for maintaining roads, sewer lines, drinking water supply and street lighting across the city.
"Officials have become more reactive than proactive in recent times," Dahiya observed during the meeting, highlighting a concerning shift in work culture within the engineering department.
Field Inspections and Immediate Action Mandated
The commissioner issued specific instructions for regular field inspections and immediate rectification of visible defects, eliminating the need for formal grievance procedures. Junior engineers received particular directives to remain active in their assigned areas and ensure prompt fault resolution.
"Officials should work in such a way that citizens do not need to lodge complaints," Dahiya stated, underscoring the administration's growing dissatisfaction with field staff performance.
Alarming Complaint Backlog Revealed
During the meeting, Dahiya reviewed pending complaints on both the "Mhari Sadak" portal and the Complaint Handling System (CHS), ordering time-bound disposal of all grievances. Recent data reveals concerning statistics:
- The Mhari Sadak app and portal received 8,204 complaints across Haryana as of February 7
- Gurgaon accounted for 1,482 of these complaints, while neighboring Faridabad registered 1,522
- More than 66% of Gurgaon's complaints remain unresolved, with 982 marked "in progress" and only 430 addressed
The commissioner noted that such delays not only inconvenience residents but also significantly damage the civic body's public credibility and trust.
Administration Signals Cultural Shift
Dahiya's remarks indicate a broader administrative push to transform the engineering department's operational philosophy from complaint-driven to prevention-focused. The directive represents an attempt to institutionalize proactive maintenance rather than reactive repairs.
This development follows increasing public frustration with civic infrastructure management in Gurgaon, one of India's fastest-growing urban centers facing significant pressure on municipal services.
