Date:22/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/22/stories/2007122257680100.htm

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Corporation seeks to make helpline toll-free

Kannal Achuthan

Corporation Complaint cell: 25384670
SMS service: 97899-51111
New number: 1913

Chennai: The Chennai Corporation proposes to make its ‘1913’ helpline, where complaints related to civic issues can be registered, toll-free for those calling from landline as well as mobile phone connections.

At present, the residents can call 1913 from land phones by paying the usual landline charge. The Corporation has written to the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited requesting that the helpline be made toll-free.

Letter to BSNL

“We have also made an application to the BSNL for activation of the number when dialled from mobile phones,” Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said. Private telecom service providers, Aircel, Airtel and Vodafone, would also be approached. In the first phase, the service would be charged.

The idea of a four-digit helpline came from a group of college students who, when interacting with the Commissioner, said it was difficult to remember the Corporation’s eight-digit complaint cell number (25384670).

A ten-digit number for people to text message (SMS) their complaints is also available.

On an average, the civic body receives 40 complaints via SMS and 50 via voice calls.

A few other cities also use 1913 to receive civic complaints.

However, it bears significance for Chennai as the Ripon Building, the Corporation’s headquarters, was opened in 1913.

Bilingual IVRS

The Corporation is now looking beyond a facility to receive complaints.

It has called for bids from firms that can provide bilingual interactive voice response system (IVRS) so that people can just dial for information on property taxes, birth and death certificates and other civic services. Also, a database would be generated for the management of the complaints.