Residents of the city who are willing to pay extra can get select civic services delivered at doorstep, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials said on Wednesday.
The doorstep services the KMC is offering include obtaining birth and death certificates, mutation of properties and conversion to the unit area assessment mode of property tax calculation.
A WhatsApp number will be announced through which Kolkatans who want to avail themselves of the paid services can contact the KMC.
“After the exchange of messages, we will send the resident a link for payment. Once the person makes the payment, our officials will visit his or her home to do the needful,” the official said. Though the charges for the services have not been fixed yet, an official said some could cost as much as Rs 10,000. “Amalgamation of two large adjacent properties into one could be a costly service,” the official said.
As for the conversion to the unit area assessment mode of property tax calculation, residents now have to visit any of the KMC offices and fill in the self-assessment form (SAF).
“Elderly people may find it difficult to visit our office and fill in the form for the conversion,” another official said. “There could be some people who are willing to pay and get the work done at home. Our officials will do the work by visiting their homes,” said the official.
Civic officials said many Kolkatans now pay touts to get their work done. But despite the payment, they are often cheated by touts. If those people have the option to get the work done by paying a fee to the civic body, they may agree to do so, the official said.
“We have often been asked by residents whether there is any option of getting civic services delivered at doorstep against payment. Such queries prompted the authorities to roll out the service,” another official said.
Officials believe the personalised service will make touts redundant to a large extent.