CM Dhami orders timely grievance redressal via Uttarakhand's CM Helpline 1905
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami personally phoned complainants mid-review to expose cases closed on paper but unresolved in reality — including an unpaid medical reimbursement for a deceased person's treatment and a water tank that has sat dry for three months. His 14 September directive sets a 15-day pipeline audit deadline and mandates accountability for officials who delay or force-close grievances without genuine resolution.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed CM Helpline 1905 operations at the Secretariat in Dehradun on 14 September 2026 .
Officials directed to ensure genuine resolution — not just portal closure — with 'Special Close' and 'Force Close' options banned from misuse.
A pipeline and sewer line audit must be completed within 15 days ; water supply grievances flagged as top priority.
Grievances pending more than 180 days designated for immediate resolution; accountability to be fixed for officials causing delays.
Dhami personally telephoned complainants including Sanjay Kumar Rawat (unpaid medical reimbursement) and Baby Kotnala (pending pension) to verify ground-level redressal.
All District Magistrates ordered to conduct surprise Tehsil inspections , with focus on mutation (Dakhil-Kharij) timelines and land fraud cases.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday, 14 September 2026, directed state officials to ensure prompt, genuine, and time-bound resolution of public complaints registered through the CM Helpline (1905). Chairing a comprehensive review of the helpline's functioning at the Secretariat in Dehradun, Dhami made clear that merely marking cases as closed on the portal would not be acceptable — actual redressal of the complainant's problem is mandatory.
Key Directives Issued
Chief Minister Dhami instructed all District Magistrates to conduct department-wise reviews of the most frequently received complaint categories in their respective districts and coordinate with concerned departments for speedy resolution. He specifically called for an analysis of recurring complaints to identify root causes and implement permanent fixes rather than stopgap measures.
Surprise inspections of Tehsils were ordered, with special emphasis on whether mutation (Dakhil-Kharij) cases are being processed within prescribed timeframes. Cases related to land fraud were flagged for priority treatment. Dhami stressed that citizens must not be forced into repeated visits to revenue offices and that prescribed services must be delivered on schedule.
Water Supply, Long-Pending Cases in Focus
Availability of clean drinking water was accorded the highest priority. Officials were directed to complete an audit of pipelines and sewer lines within 15 days and submit a formal report. Complaints involving water supply disruptions and leakages are to be resolved without delay.
Grievances pending for more than 30 days were placed under special scrutiny, with Secretaries, Heads of Departments, and District Magistrates told to conduct regular reviews at their levels. Cases pending beyond 180 days were designated top priority for resolution. Accountability, the Chief Minister said, must be fixed for any official responsible for delays beyond stipulated timeframes.
Dhami also prohibited the unnecessary use of 'Special Close' or 'Force Close' options to artificially inflate resolution numbers. He called for strengthening the feedback mechanism so that the quality of redressal is assessed through direct public response.
CM Speaks Directly to Complainants
In a notable exercise of direct governance, Chief Minister Dhami personally telephoned several complainants during the review. He reached Sanjay Kumar Rawat regarding a medical reimbursement case for his late father's treatment that had been improperly closed — Rawat confirmed the bills remained unpaid. Dhami directed immediate action and warned that negligence in sensitive cases would invite strict accountability.
He also spoke with Baby Kotnala of Pauri Garhwal concerning an unresolved pension claim for abandoned women, directing District Magistrate Swati S. Bhadauria to take immediate corrective action. A conversation with Geeta, a resident of Haridwar, revealed that a water tank constructed near her home three months ago had still not begun supplying drinking water; Chief Development Officer Lalit Narayan Mishra was instructed to inspect the site and ensure immediate commencement of supply.
On the positive side, Shilpi Saxena of Dehradun thanked the Chief Minister after street lights in her area were installed following her CM Helpline complaint. Ayush Bisht of Almora confirmed his scholarship grievance had been resolved, though Dhami ordered an inquiry into why the disbursement was delayed in the first place.
Officials Present and Next Steps
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretaries RK Sudhanshu, L Fanai, and R Meenakshi Sundaram; Secretaries Shailesh Bagauli and Pankaj Kumar Pandey; Director General of Police Deepam Seth; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Kapil Lal; other senior officials; and all District Magistrates joining virtually.
Going forward, officials performing well in grievance redressal are to be recognised and encouraged, while those causing delays or showing negligence will face fixed accountability. The 15-day pipeline audit and department-wise status reports on long-pending cases are expected to set the next benchmarks for the helpline's performance.
Point of View
Bans on force-closure, a feedback loop — are institutionalised or remain one-off directives. Uttarakhand's dispersed hill geography makes last-mile delivery structurally harder than the plains; without a district-level monitoring framework with teeth, even well-intentioned helpline reforms risk becoming performance theatre.
NationPress
14 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CM Helpline 1905 in Uttarakhand?
CM Helpline 1905 is Uttarakhand's centralised public grievance platform that allows citizens to register complaints directly with the state government. It is designed to create a direct communication channel between residents and officials across all departments and districts.
What did CM Dhami direct officials to do on 14 September 2026?
Chief Minister Dhami directed District Magistrates to conduct department-wise complaint reviews, carry out surprise Tehsil inspections, prioritise land fraud and water supply cases, and complete a pipeline audit within 15 days. He also banned unnecessary force-closure of cases and ordered accountability for officials causing delays.
Why are long-pending grievances a concern?
Cases pending beyond 30 days and especially those beyond 180 days were flagged as requiring top-priority resolution. CM Dhami noted that some complaints had been marked closed on the portal without actually being resolved, as evidenced by his direct calls to complainants during the review.
Who is affected by these new grievance redressal directives?
All citizens who have filed or plan to file complaints through CM Helpline 1905 are affected — particularly those with pending issues related to water supply, land mutation (Dakhil-Kharij), medical reimbursements, pensions for abandoned women, and student scholarships.
What accountability measures were announced for officials?
CM Dhami directed that accountability be fixed for officials responsible for delays beyond stipulated timeframes or for unnecessarily force-closing cases. Officials performing well are to be encouraged, while those showing negligence face consequences. A feedback mechanism is also to be strengthened to assess resolution quality through public response.
