Pune: PMC to Hear Public Grievances Once a Month; Ward Offices to Resolve Routine Complaints

Pune, 3rd August 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to discontinue its Citizens’ Grievance Cell, which was established during the administrative rule to address public complaints, and replace it with a monthly Lokshahi Din (Democracy Day) to be chaired by the Municipal Commissioner.

Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has issued orders abolishing the Citizens’ Grievance Cell, the Senior Citizens’ Grievance Redressal Committee, and Senior Citizens’ Lokshahi Din. Under the new system, citizens will be able to present their grievances directly to the Municipal Commissioner on the first Monday of every month at 11 am during Lokshahi Din.

The Citizens’ Grievance Cell was established in 2024 by then Municipal Commissioner Rajendra Bhosale when the civic body was under administrative rule from March 2022 to January 2026 and had no elected representatives. During that period, residents depended on the civic administration for grievance redressal, with the Municipal Commissioner personally hearing complaints through the dedicated cell.

According to the civic administration, the majority of complaints received at the grievance cell related to issues that fell within the jurisdiction of ward offices. To reduce citizens’ travel to the PMC headquarters and expedite grievance redressal, the process has now been decentralised and delegated to the respective regional offices.

As part of the restructuring, employees currently assigned to the grievance cell will be transferred back to their parent departments.
Under the Lokshahi Din mechanism, grievances heard by the Municipal Commissioner will be forwarded to the concerned departments with necessary directions. Applicants will receive an acknowledgement of their complaint, and the concerned department will be required to submit a final written response within 30 days.
Officials have also been directed to submit a monthly report on complaints within three days of each Lokshahi Din. Pending cases will be reviewed during subsequent meetings, and the attendance of all concerned officers and staff on the hearing day has been made mandatory.

Action Against False Complaints
Citizens wishing to participate in Lokshahi Din must submit their applications at least 15 days in advance. Each application must relate to a single issue and clearly state that it is intended for Lokshahi Din.

The PMC has clarified that complaints relating to matters pending before courts, service-related issues, or cases in which a final decision has already been taken will not be considered. Complainants must remain personally present during the hearing. The civic body has also warned that legal action may be initiated against individuals found filing false complaints or engaging in misconduct during the grievance process.