Upadhyay needs help to get through mayor’s helpline

As counting for the deputy mayor’s position began, the opposition lashed out at the BJP for starting a helpline in a hurry and one that “does not function properly”.

satish upadhyay, delhi helpline, mayor's helpline

As he made the announcement, Gupta asked state BJP president Satish Upadhyay to make the first call to the helpline number — 9643096430.

Before the first vote was cast, the pamphlets were ready and even the number plate on deputy mayor Ravinder Gupta’s personal vehicle was changed to “Mayor, North Delhi”.

And before the counting of votes to decide the deputy mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation could begin, Gupta announced a “Mayor’s Helpline” for the people of Delhi. The mayor said the helpline will address corruption- and sanitation-related woes of citizens.

As he made the announcement, Gupta asked state BJP president Satish Upadhyay to make the first call to the helpline number — 9643096430. However, it took Upadhyay a few minutes to be able to get through. After dialling three or four times, Upadhyay raised the phone to say, “This is a great initiative of the corporation and I give you my best wishes in taking this forward.”

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As counting for the deputy mayor’s position began, the opposition lashed out at the BJP for starting a helpline in a hurry and one that “does not function properly”.

The mayor’s helpline will be operational between 9 am and 5 pm on working days and will function from the mayor’s office at the MCD headquarters.

“For cases of corruption, the complainant will be directed to the Director of Vigilance and for cases of sanitation, the calls will be directly forwarded to the zonal deputy commissioners for Department of Environment Management Services or DEMS,” the mayor said.

The number is not toll-free for callers as the corporation wanted to allow access to internet messaging services to the number such as WhatsApp. “This is already functional and the DC will be the nodal officer for the helpline,” Gupta added.

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The mayor has set a time limit of 24 hours for acting on citizens’ complaints.

“We will make sure that after the complaint is addressed, we call back the complainant and ask whether they are satisfied with our services,” the mayor said. He claimed that he along with the commissioner will monitor the helpline on a weekly basis.

Leader of the Opposition Mukesh Goel slammed the mayor’s helpline as “yet another move by the BJP that is aimed at fooling the people of Delhi”. Goel alleged that the party had previously come up with ideas to address grievances and yet nothing had come off these measures.

Naveed Iqbal

Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies. Expertise Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics. Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers: Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state. Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights. Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More

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