In a significant move to assist citizens needing to prove their citizenship, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) announced it will substantially increase its daily quota for birth and death certificate applications starting next week. The civic body aims to address the growing demand from residents who require these vital documents for upcoming SIR hearings.
Mayor Hakim's Directive for Faster Processing
Mayor Firhad Hakim issued clear instructions to KMC's chief municipal health officer, Ranita Sengupta, during Friday's weekly 'Talk to Mayor' session. The mayor demanded that the health department process at least 500 birth and death certificate applications daily beginning next week, with plans to eventually scale up to 1,000 applications per day.
The decision came after Mayor Hakim received a complaint from a resident of Indian Mirror Street who reported repeated failures in securing an application slot through the existing chatbot system. Currently, the KMC health department processes only 150 applications daily through the dedicated chatbot number 8335999111.
Addressing the SIR Hearing Rush
The timing of this expansion is crucial, as Hakim anticipates a significant rush for obtaining birth and death certificates before the SIR hearing sessions commence. "At this crucial hour of proving one's citizenship, the rush to get a genuine birth or death certificate is inevitable. We should stand by the citizens and bail them out of unnecessary panic," Hakim stated emphatically.
The mayor assured the health department of additional manpower support to handle the expected surge in SIR-related applications. This commitment comes as the KMC health department has already received directives from the state election commission to establish help desks specifically for birth and death certificate document verification ahead of the crucial hearings.
Challenges with Current System
According to post-COVID arrangements, citizens must apply for birth and death certificate copies exclusively through the KMC chatbot service. However, residents have reported multiple issues, including a frequently collapsing chatbot service unable to handle the current demand and an exceptionally slow document verification process.
A KMC official acknowledged that the manual clearance system operational before the pandemic handled approximately 300 applications daily, while the current chatbot service processes less than half that number. The official expressed concerns about reverting to manual applications, stating, "We can raise the quota of chatbot applications for birth and death certificates to the maximum extent possible by roping in extra manpower. But going back to the manual process for receiving such applications will be a bit difficult."
The official also confirmed that touting rackets have become active, exploiting the current system's limitations and the heightened demand. Some applicants reported being compelled to pay substantial amounts for what is supposed to be a free service due to intentional delays in processing.
Despite these challenges, the KMC remains committed to improving the system. "We will try to ensure that the citizens are not harassed, and if the documents they provide are genuine, the issuance of certificates should be hassle-free," the official added, signaling a renewed focus on citizen-friendly services during this critical period.
