From tackling sanitation and waste management challenges to leveraging technologies like AI for greater citizen engagement, Nagar Nigam Dehradun is redefining urban governance through enhanced transparency, active public participation, and innovative solutions. Namami Bansal IAS, Municipal Commissioner, Nagar Nigam Dehradun, shares insights into the evolving challenges and forward-looking initiatives of the city’s civic administration in an exclusive conversation with Krishna Mishra of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

What are some of the core challenges you face as the administrator of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation?

The Dehradun Municipal Corporation underwent a significant expansion about seven years ago, with the addition of 40 new wards. Most of these are peripheral areas, located far from the city centre, and they come with their own unique set of challenges.

One major concern is monitoring door-to-door waste collection and ensuring that our Paryavaran Mitras (sanitation
workers) are completing their tasks effectively and on time. Cleanliness and sanitation are among the most pressing
issues we address daily.

We receive a high volume of complaints, so ensuring timely redressal is critical. While we have multiple platforms — an app, website, and toll-free numbers — for citizens to raise issues, we are constantly working to make this process simpler and more responsive.

To strengthen our monitoring systems, we’ve recently launched an Integrated Command and Control Centre, which functions as a centralised hub for overseeing sanitation and other civic services. We’ve also introduced a WhatsApp-based messaging system for tax collection and are working on launching an AI-powered chatbot to streamline grievance redressal and public interaction.

How are you encouraging greater public participation in civic governance?

Citizen engagement — or Jan Bhagidari — begins with effective communication between the Municipal Corporation
and the public. Eliminating information asymmetry is crucial, as it often leads to confusion or mistrust.

One recent initiative is assigning a unique mobile number to each garbage collection vehicle, allowing residents to track collection status, register complaints, or contact the team directly — all in real time and without needing intermediaries.

In the case of tax collection, we observed a last-minute rush near the financial year-end. To ease this, we launched a
WhatsApp-based payment system in February, where residents receive a message with a “Pay Now” option. Upon payment, they immediately get a digital receipt, which they can store and access any time.

Our broader vision is in line with the idea of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance.” We aim to make civic services more transparent, citizen-centric, and technology-driven.

Does the Municipal Corporation manage health and education services directly?

Currently, the Nagar Nigam Dehradun does not operate any health or education institutions. However, we are actively working to revive our municipal dispensaries. Previously, when we were a Nagar Palika, there were 10 functional dispensaries. The process to bring those back is underway, and we hope to reinstate them to serve local health needs.

We have recently launched an AIpowered chatbot, ‘Nigam Saathi’, through which citizens can give feedback and ratings on the developmental works being undertaken by the Nagar Nigam.

With AI transforming governance globally, how do you see it being used within the Municipal Corporation?

That’s a very timely and important question. Artificial Intelligence is the future, and integrating it into civic administration is no longer optional — it’s essential.

We have recently launched an AIpowered chatbot, ‘Nigam Saathi’, designed to provide citizens with quick, seamless, and interactive access to civic services.

A unique feature of this AI chatbot is the built-in mechanism for citizens to share feedback and ratings on developmental works being carried out by the Nagar Nigam. This initiative, aptly named CAPA – Citizen Audit of Public Assets, empowers residents to directly participate in monitoring and evaluating public infrastructure and services, ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and citizen-centric governance. Moreover, each year we build several public assets — from roads to parks. AI can help us gather feedback on how these projects are serving citizens in terms of usability, design, and overall impact.

This not only helps in better planning and prioritisation of future projects but also builds greater public ownership. When people feel their feedback influences city development, it strengthens trust in governance.

Also Read : AI Policy, Ethics & Regulation: Karnataka Leads the Way

Finally, could you outline the short-, medium-, and long-term priorities for the Dehradun Municipal Corporation?
Certainly.

• Short-term priorities include addressing urgent seasonal issues like waterlogging, drainage, and disaster preparedness, especially during the monsoon period.
• Medium-term goals focus on the completion of ongoing development projects initiated by the current board. We also aim to remediate two legacy waste sites and convert them into urban forests and parks.
• Long-term objectives include positioning Dehradun among India’s top-performing municipal corporations, especially in the areas of solid waste management, citizen service delivery, and smart city infrastructure.

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