KMC decentralises birth/death certs issuance for SIR

Kolkata: To ease the rush at its headquarters and reduce hardship for elderly and physically challenged citizens, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to decentralise the submission and processing of birth and death certificates during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The civic body will open special counters at borough offices across the city where citizens can submit documents to obtain copies of birth or death certificates or seek corrections in existing certificates required for SIR hearings. The move is expected to benefit residents who otherwise have to travel long distances to the central Kolkata’s Town Hall.

According to officials, documents submitted at the borough-level help desks will be scanned and verified locally. Once authentication is completed, the required certificates will be issued directly from the respective borough offices.

The decentralised arrangement will also cover applications for domicile certificates. At present, applicants are required to visit the Town Hall to submit documents. Under the new system, citizens—particularly senior citizens—will be able to submit papers at their nearest borough office, avoiding repeated trips to

central offices.

Mayor Firhad Hakim said the decision was taken to reduce inconvenience during the SIR process. He said many elderly and physically infirm residents were finding it difficult to travel to the KMC headquarters or Town Hall to submit documents.

The initiative, he added, was meant to help citizens gather necessary papers and address concerns linked to SIR hearings. In a parallel step, the KMC health department has increased the daily quota for processing birth and death certificate applications through its chatbot service to meet

rising demand.

The enhanced capacity is aimed at assisting those who may need such certificates as proof during verification.

Civic officials said the measures would help decongest central offices, speed up document processing and ensure that citizens are better prepared for SIR hearings without unnecessary physical strain.