WHAT is the most important attribute of civic administration ? Responsiveness ! This is what is taught to students in their course on public administration -- not only in India but also all over the world. Public -- civic -- administrators must be by default responsive to people’s needs and sentiments. The subject of public administration then lists out various facets of ‘responsiveness’. But there also is one critical attribute every civic bureaucracy must possess -- sensitivity. It is on this count that the civic authorities in Nagpur appear to be all the time falling short. The civic authorities appear to be frigid about what the people actually need. Any Nagpurian would agree with this observation -- based on his/her actual experience of living in the city. Even as the city has been witnessing a massive developmental push for the past ten-plus years.

 

Roads, fly-overs, intersections, footpaths or side-walks, other public infrastructures such as shelters for people using city bus services, public toilets, water fountains (particularly in summer months), protection of green cover of the city are some of the basic issues that often cry for serious attention by civic authorities. Yet, as the general impression goes, the civic authorities are almost complete indifferent to actual needs of the people. As he moves around in the city, the loosefooter senses the trouble the common people have to endure just because of shabby designs of public infrastructure (including fly-overs). Many times, he stops by a construction site where work is in progress -- to talk to people engaged in that work. Many of them appear worried about either wrong design or wrong implementation or even a deadpan approach to people’s needs and sentiments.

 

The loosefooter also realises that many projects are delayed beyond the stipulated time-line -- causing much inconvenience to public. Yet, nobody in the officialdom appears to be worried. The wrong-doers appear to go scot-free all the time, and accountability is the first and foremost casualty of the slack process of implementation. It is at this point that the loosefooter recalls how the authorities have messed up the southern end of the Sadar fly-over near Kasturchand Park. In order somehow to correct the wrong design and grave mistake, the authorities are reported to be thinking of extending the bridge through the vast ground of Kasturchand Park. Who is blessing such a nonsense? Is anybody being held responsible for the loss of public money as well as trust? Is there any inquiry going on in total seriousness to pinpoint the wrongdoers? At least, the common people of Nagpur are not aware of any such corrective measures. The authorities may be doing something to paper over the wrongdoing -- but are least bothered about informing the public about what is being done by way of correction.

 

This is the gravest example of lack of responsiveness on part of the civic authorities or any of the Government departments involved in messed up projects that may be found in the city in dozens of numbers. The dictum in the officialdom appears to be simple: Take the public for granted. In other words, the people in power-pyramid (in administration or politics) seem to believe that the public is either stupid, or uncaring. So, take it for granted. Do anything, and do not worry about being accountable. Enjoy the license to mess up with public interest ! n