Forgotten waiting rooms

For many people, visiting a government office is not simply a matter of getting a service; it can mean spending an entire day waiting. Whether it is a hospital, public office, examination centre or utility department, citizens are often made to stand in long queues with little information about how long they will have to wait. It is especially difficult for elderly people, women, people with disabilities and people traveling from faraway places. In many places, there is a shortage of chairs, shelters and well-designed queue management system. The use of technology will make a lot of difference. Using token systems and sending SMS messages can cut down on wasteful waiting times. If it is not possible to use digital methods, special counters and better organised queues will still help. Sometimes it is necessary to wait long hours for the sake of public services. But wasteful waiting resulting from poor organisation is not the same thing. A citizen does not need to waste his whole day just to fill in a form or to get some document. Public services should be made for citizens. Better waiting arrangement may seem to be a minor administrative step, but it will save time, efforts and bring dignity back to common citizens. Sarang Kalwar Kashmore