Mohali Municipal Corporation Unveils Comprehensive 'Area Stewardship' Program
In a significant move to enhance civic service delivery and accountability, the Mohali Municipal Corporation (MC) has officially launched a groundbreaking 'area stewardship' initiative. This citizen-centric program is specifically designed to improve the quality, consistency, and transparency of municipal services across the city, addressing long-standing concerns about local governance.
Structured Oversight with Designated Area Custodians
MC Chief Parminder Pal Singh announced that the initiative involves assigning specific phases, sectors, villages, and major road stretches to designated officers who will function as area custodians. This strategic allocation aims to enable closer monitoring, quicker detection of deficiencies, and faster redressal of civic issues at the hyper-local level. Each officer will have direct oversight responsibilities for a clearly demarcated zone, ensuring personalized attention to community needs.
Comprehensive Responsibilities for Assigned Officers
The designated area custodians will be directly responsible for overseeing a wide range of municipal functions in their allotted areas. These include sanitation services, mechanical sweeping operations, solid waste management systems, maintenance of parks and green belts, bush cutting activities, street lighting functionality, water supply networks, sewerage infrastructure, and road repair works. Both regular and surprise inspections will be conducted systematically, with even minor service gaps recorded in writing for time-bound corrective action.
Enhanced Field Supervision with Direct Public Access
To strengthen field supervision, the MC has appointed area incharges for every phase, sector, village, and road stretch, complete with their official contact numbers. The published list includes officers such as Assistant Commissioner Varinder Kumar Jain (responsible for Sector 76), Assistant Commissioner Manpreet Singh (overseeing Sector 117, 74A TDI, and Baliyali village), and Assistant Commissioner Jagjit Singh Judge (managing Sectors 64 and 48C). Additionally, Executive Engineers (XENs), Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs), engineers, inspectors, and building inspectors have been assigned specific zones. The MC is proactively releasing this comprehensive list so residents can directly approach the concerned officer for area-specific issues without bureaucratic delays.
Digital Coordination and Strict Resolution Timelines
A dedicated 'Municipal Services Reporting and Action Taken Report (ATR)' WhatsApp group is being established to streamline coordination and monitor real-time progress on civic complaints. According to the implementation plan, sanitation, solid waste management, park cleanliness, bush cutting, and street lighting complaints must be resolved within 24 hours. Meanwhile, water supply, sewerage, and road maintenance issues will be addressed on a priority basis with expedited timelines.
Systematic Review Mechanisms and Documentation Protocols
Weekly review meetings will be conducted by the Municipal Officer of Health (MOH) for sanitation and solid waste management matters, while the chief engineer or concerned Executive Engineer will oversee engineering works. All nominated officers are mandated to maintain daily inspection registers to ensure proper documentation and accountability. Following a brief transition period, responsibility for detecting and resolving service gaps in each area will rest strictly with the designated officer, with any delays being directly attributed to the concerned staff member.
Supplementing Existing Oversight Structures
These newly implemented measures will supplement the ongoing random and surprise inspections directed by the Punjab Local Government Department. The MC emphasizes that the area-wise stewardship model is expected to significantly strengthen on-ground supervision, ensure early detection of service lapses, and deliver structured, time-bound, and transparent municipal services to Mohali residents. This initiative represents a paradigm shift in urban governance, moving from generalized administration to personalized area management with clear accountability frameworks.
