BMC's new WhatsApp chatbot gives out wrong information; fails to impress

The BMC on Friday launched a WhatsApp chatbot facility offering over 80 citizen-related services. Though the facility aims at providing links and assistance to citizens, businessmen and tourists, the ward level information is at least a year old. mid-day found quite a lot of officials' names wrongly stated.

After sending the message ‘Namaskar' in Marathi and ‘hello or hi' in English on the WhatsApp number 8999-22-8999, one needs to select the language option - Marathi or English. After clicking on one of these, one needs to select a section: Citizen, Business or Tourist.

The chatbot shows Vishwas Mote as the assistant commissioner. However, he was transferred a few months ago

The options related to the services and facilities of the corporation then become available to the citizens. Information about hospitals, Covid care centres, schools, parks, tourist places, firefighting centres, etc. is available, including relevant addresses and contact numbers of 24 wards.

Information of 24 wards not updated

However, the information about 24 wards has not been updated and is at least a year old. For example, the app shows Ashok Khairnar, who succumbed to COVID-19 in July 2021, as an assistant commissioner of the H-east ward. This is not the only mistake. Chanda Jadhav, who was transferred from A-ward at least three months ago, is still on the information list of A-ward. The names of Kishor Gandhi and Vishwas Mote, transferred a few months ago, still reflect on the information list of T-ward and K-west ward respectively, among at least 10 other wards.

Wrong connections

On dialing the Colaba fire station officer Santosh Bhosale, he informed us that he has been on six months leave. When contacted on a number given as the complaint officer of R-central ward, the person told us that the number given was wrong. The WhatsApp facility was inaugurated by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. He said, "If the technology is not convenient for the general public, then the technology is not useful. Therefore, it is very important to think about how to make it more resourceful."

Civic chief says

Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said, "More than 80 citizen-related facilities will be easily available via the chatbot. This will make it easy for citizens to get information about Ganeshotsav mandap permits, various departments, and get relevant contact numbers."

80
No. of citizen-related facilities available on chatbot