The Trinamul Congress-run board of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has taken an initiative to introduce e-governance at the civic body to expedite administrative tasks.

Mayor Gautam Deb inaugurated a video conferencing facility at the SMC on Tuesday. It would enable officials and others associated with the civic body to meet the employees and officers serving in the five borough offices of the SMC virtually.

The borough offices look after a cluster of wards.

“After the introduction of e-governance at the SMC, a member mayor-in-council, the commissioner of the SMC or any other official can connect online with employees of different departments and at borough offices. This system will speed up the service and various works will be carried out promptly,” said Deb.

He said the e-governance system was already operational at the Calcutta Municipal Corporation. Soon, a team from the SMC led by him will visit the civic body in the state capital to get more information about the service.

“In due course, we have plans to tag some state government departments with the service. It will help in better integration and functioning of the civic body in association with these departments in different sectors for the development of the city and for improvement of civic services,” Deb added.

After the introduction of the video conferencing facility, the mayor also held a meeting with MMICs and officials at the borough offices.

“We discussed issues like solid waste management of the municipal corporation area, the steps taken to control vector-borne diseases, and the allocation of funds for certain projects. Also, we spoke on the preparedness on the part of SMC for the upcoming Durga Puja,” said Deb.