Taking stock of long-pending issues such as overcrowding in civic hospitals, the new additional municipal commissioner, Suresh Kakani, is planning to introduce certain changes including a cashless transaction system. The initiative that is expected to roll out soon in the city's five major civic hospitals, involves distribution of smartcards to the family members of patients.

Long queues at payment counters have been an issue in civic hospitals and family members of patients have also found the process confusing. Kakani said that the smartcards can simplify the payment process and a new I-T system is being set up for online patient registration.