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ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP):The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has introduced a new online complaint-redressal mechanism allowing the citizens to register civic issues by tagging the authority’s official account @cdathecapital or CDA Chairman @RandhawaAli on social media platforms.
The initiative, according to officials, aims to make municipal services faster, more transparent and easier to track.
The CDA spokesperson told APP on Sunday that complaints lodged online would be addressed “immediately,” with field teams dispatched to resolve issues at residents’ doorstep.
The system, he said, is designed to strengthen direct communication between citizens and the authority while reducing delays that often plague municipal service delivery.
However, while residents have welcomed the step as a sign of modernization, many remain cautious, noting that past complaint channels have often suffered from slow response times and poor coordination among departments.
“This is a positive step, but CDA must ensure the system actually works on the ground,” said Zameer, a resident of G-9, who noted that similar efforts in the past “fizzled out after strong initial publicity.”
Another citizen, Sadia Babar from I-8, said the digital mechanism would be helpful for quick reporting, “but it needs proper monitoring; otherwise the complaints will again pile up unanswered.”
Civil society members also pointed out that accessibility remains a concern, as not all residents actively use social media platforms.
They said the authority must ensure parallel offline complaint channels continue to function efficiently for elderly and low-income citizens.
Responding to these concerns, the CDA spokesperson maintained that the initiative would improve accountability by making the process visible to the public.
“Public facilitation and speedy service delivery remain among the top priorities of the authority,” he said, adding that the digital system would help streamline coordination between field teams and senior officials.
The system is part of a broader push to digitise civic services in the capital, where complaints related to sanitation, streetlighting, water supply and road maintenance have steadily increased.
How effectively the new mechanism performs, residents say, will depend on sustained oversight rather than announcements alone.