A multi-purpose ward office at Puthur High Road in Ward 23 in Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The delay in launching e-Sevai centres in the multipurpose ward offices across all 65 wards of the Tiruchi City Corporation has raised concerns among residents as the facilities remain non-functional despite the completion of the buildings.To improve access to civic services, the Corporation allocated ₹16.25 crore in its 2022–23 budget to construct one multipurpose ward office in each of the 65 wards. Each 1,000 sq. ft. building was constructed at a cost of ₹25 lakh and equipped with office spaces for the ward councillor, revenue inspector, bill collector, sanitation inspector, and sanitation supervisor. A storeroom for sanitation equipment was included.Dedicated space was earmarked in every building for an e-Sevai centre to enable residents to access a range of government services, including birth and death certificates, property tax payments, and drinking water charge collections, closer to their homes.Although construction has been completed and several ward offices have been inaugurated, the e-Sevai centres are yet to commence operations. Corporation officials said the establishment and operation of e-Sevai centres fall under the jurisdiction of the district administration.K. Sureshkumar, Councillor of Ward 23, said the centres would strengthen ward-level governance and significantly improve public service delivery. He had submitted a petition to the District Collector seeking steps to operationalise the facilities, he said.A senior district administration official said an inspection had been conducted to verify the availability of computer systems, internet connectivity, and other infrastructure at the designated e-Sevai spaces. “The inspection report has been submitted to the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA), and once approval is granted, user IDs will be created to enable the centres to begin functioning,” he said.Once operational, the e-Sevai centres are expected to provide residents with easy access to a wide range of government services at the ward level, reducing the need to visit zonal or Corporation offices. Published - June 29, 2026 06:59 pm IST
