PCMC Sarathi Helpline Under Fire: Over 5,000 Civic Complaints Pending, Residents Allege Cases Closed Without Action
PCMC is facing criticism over more than 5,000 pending civic complaints across its grievance platforms, including 4,713 on Sarathi alone. Of these, 1,340 have remained unresolved for over a month. The Tree Conservation Department has the highest backlog, while residents allege that some complaints are closed without action. PCMC says the helpline remains operational and departments have been instructed to clear pending cases.
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Pimpri-Chinchwad, October 23, 2026: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's (PCMC) Sarathi grievance redressal system is facing criticism as more than 5,000 civic complaints remain pending across Sarathi, the Maharashtra government's Aaple Sarkar portal and the Central Government's Public Grievance portal.
According to PCMC's Information Technology Department, 4,713 complaints were pending on the Sarathi platform alone as of October 15, including 1,340 unresolved for more than 30 days.
Residents have also alleged that some complaints are being marked as resolved without officials addressing the underlying problems.
Tree Conservation Department Records Highest Backlog
The Tree Conservation Department recorded the highest number of pending complaints, with 738 unresolved cases.
The Civil Engineering Department in J Ward had 227 pending complaints, while the ward's Health Department recorded 173.
Complaints related to dangerous trees, tree trimming, poorly maintained public gardens and garbage disposal have been among the major concerns raised by residents.
Sarathi was launched on August 15, 2013, under then municipal commissioner Dr Shrikar Pardeshi to provide faster resolution of civic grievances.
However, the growing backlog has raised questions about the effectiveness of the system.
Residents Allege Complaints Closed Without Resolution
Several residents have alleged that municipal employees sometimes close complaints without visiting the affected locations or completing the required work.
According to these allegations, citizens receive notifications stating that their complaints have been resolved, only to discover that the problems remain unchanged.
Residents have demanded greater accountability and stronger monitoring to ensure that complaints are genuinely resolved rather than merely closed in official records.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Sarathi WhatsApp Service Discontinued
Residents have also reported difficulties using the Smart Sarathi website and mobile application.
Meanwhile, PCMC's WhatsApp-based complaint registration facility has been discontinued following the expiry of its service tender.
Users attempting to register complaints through WhatsApp reportedly receive a message stating that the facility is temporarily unavailable for maintenance.
PCMC Assistant Commissioner Amit Pandit confirmed that the WhatsApp service was discontinued because the tender period had expired.
He clarified that the Sarathi helpline remains operational and that pending complaints are being reviewed regularly.
According to Pandit, concerned departments have been instructed to resolve outstanding grievances, while Municipal Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi has also issued directions during administrative meetings.
Despite these assurances, residents continue to demand quicker action, transparent complaint tracking and effective supervision of civic departments.