HYDERABAD: For many Hyderabad residents, reporting a civic issue has become as frustrating as the problem itself. What was meant to be a seamless digital link with the GHMC is now drawing criticism for technical glitches, delayed responses and complaints being closed without action.
The ‘My GHMC’ mobile application, designed to serve nearly 1.4 crore residents across 2,050 sq km, is facing widespread user complaints. Citizens say the app frequently crashes, fails to open, shows ‘server not responding’ messages and, more worryingly, maps locations incorrectly.
One of the most serious issues flagged is faulty location mapping. Areas such as Miyapur are allegedly being shown under distant circles like Falaknuma, resulting in complaints being routed to the wrong officials. “There is no point filing a complaint if the system itself doesn’t know where the problem is,” said Vinay Vangala, a resident of Miyapur. “The issue exists on the ground, but digitally it is sent somewhere else.”
Even when complaints are successfully registered, residents allege poor follow-up. Several users say tickets are marked as resolved without any visible work being done. “In some cases, the app shows ‘closed by you’ even though I never closed the ticket,” Vangala said, raising concerns over monitoring and accountability.
Adding to the frustration is a recent change in the grievance workflow. Citizens are now required to upload photographic proof to reopen a closed complaint. Earlier, users could simply reopen a ticket if the issue persisted. Now, residents say they are forced to revisit locations to gather proof.
“If I report waste burning late at night or an issue in Madhapur, how am I expected to go back just to take photographs?” asked Srinivas Bellam, another app user, stressing that it is the responsibility of field officials to verify and resolve complaints.
Users have also flagged restrictions that prevent reporting multiple complaints within a 100-metre radius. While meant to curb duplicate complaints, residents argue that it ignores the reality of multiple problem spots clustered in the same area.
“There is no proper testing before updates are rolled out,” Vangala said. “Maintenance is weak, and there is no clarity on who is accountable when tickets are wrongly closed.”
The technical failures have invited sharp criticism, particularly in light of GHMC’s slogan, ‘On Mission Tomorrow’. Civic activists say a poorly functioning grievance system erodes public trust and wastes an opportunity to use citizen data for better urban governance.
Responding to the concerns, GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan told TNIE, “We acknowledge that there are technical glitches in the app due to various reasons. The corporation is upgrading the app, and all issues will be resolved soon.”
Standing panel clears tax and civic proposals
The final standing committee meeting of the GHMC approved a slew of proposals aimed at strengthening civic administration, sports infrastructure and public amenities. All nine agenda items and 11 table items were cleared. Among the key decisions was the delegation of powers related to property tax and vacant land tax to zonal commissioners and deputy commissioners. The committee approved inviting EoI for the maintenance and operation of cricket practice pitches at Phase V, KPHB Colony, with a base price of Rs 59,639 per month. A fresh EoI was also cleared for operating and maintaining the indoor shuttle court at Phase IX, KPHB Colony, through the e-procurement platform, with a base price of Rs 59,531 per month.