Use of Facebook by Government Organizations
After Pune Traffic Police, it is now PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Pariwahan Mahamandal Limited) who has started using the social media to promote their drives and improve their services through crowd sourcing.
Pune Traffic police conducted some nice initiatives by inviting the citizens to post the photographs of offending vehicles (parking in no-parking area/non-standardized number plates/encroachment by private offices/restaurants on public parking space etc). The police ensured that the complaints registered so are addressed, the update is posted on the Facebook along with the action taken and the concerned police station/police officer's name/contact no. Although this is just a start, if continued persistently, this will go a long way to help improve the traffic chaos in the Pune city.
Now that PMPML has also launched its own facebook page, we'd see some similar action on this front from PMPML. I have my own reservations about PMPML and hence about this initiative too. As part of current drive, citizens are requested to post the photographs of the PMPML drivers who are talking on the mobile phone while driving. Now, this is difficult and tricky. If the bus is moving, it would be difficult to catch the photo of the driver and if the bus is stopped, then would the driver be called as "talking on mobile while driving"? :) In another drive, they have asked to report if the conductor is not returning the change. Now see what are they asking you to provide: signature of the conductor at the back of the ticket!! Now why would conductors sign the ticket as it is no obligation on them to sign those tickets? And yes, as someone has rightly pointed out on the page, why would someone do it just for the sake of a rupee or two?
I think PMPML needs to concentrate more on some real issues like - bus stopping few meters away from the bus stand, to gauge the frequency requirements on a particular route, uncleanliness in the buses. And yes, they also need to work on strengthening the bus service in terms of frequency and reliability. If this happens, many of us would reduce/stop bringing our private vehicles on road. This will help in reducing the traffic on the road and hence the overall health of the city...
Pune Traffic police conducted some nice initiatives by inviting the citizens to post the photographs of offending vehicles (parking in no-parking area/non-standardized number plates/encroachment by private offices/restaurants on public parking space etc). The police ensured that the complaints registered so are addressed, the update is posted on the Facebook along with the action taken and the concerned police station/police officer's name/contact no. Although this is just a start, if continued persistently, this will go a long way to help improve the traffic chaos in the Pune city.
Now that PMPML has also launched its own facebook page, we'd see some similar action on this front from PMPML. I have my own reservations about PMPML and hence about this initiative too. As part of current drive, citizens are requested to post the photographs of the PMPML drivers who are talking on the mobile phone while driving. Now, this is difficult and tricky. If the bus is moving, it would be difficult to catch the photo of the driver and if the bus is stopped, then would the driver be called as "talking on mobile while driving"? :) In another drive, they have asked to report if the conductor is not returning the change. Now see what are they asking you to provide: signature of the conductor at the back of the ticket!! Now why would conductors sign the ticket as it is no obligation on them to sign those tickets? And yes, as someone has rightly pointed out on the page, why would someone do it just for the sake of a rupee or two?
I think PMPML needs to concentrate more on some real issues like - bus stopping few meters away from the bus stand, to gauge the frequency requirements on a particular route, uncleanliness in the buses. And yes, they also need to work on strengthening the bus service in terms of frequency and reliability. If this happens, many of us would reduce/stop bringing our private vehicles on road. This will help in reducing the traffic on the road and hence the overall health of the city...
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