SRA BRIHANMUMBAI'S JOURNEY TO TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE

EMPOWERING CITIZENS THROUGH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

- Rajaram B Patil Executive Engineer Slum Rehabilitation Authority Brihanmumbai Rama B Mitkar Deputy Chief Engineer Slum Rehabilitation Authority Brihanmumbai Sameer Kochhar Chairman SKOCH Group Gursharan Dhanjal Vice Chairman SKOCH Group Manasi Marlewar Nayab Tahshildar SRA, Brihanmumbai

For decades, citizens interacting with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) in Mumbai faced familiar challenges— long queues, repeated visits, missing files and uncertainty about the status of their applications. Each process, from rent verification to tenement transfer, demanded physical presence and patience. The system worked, but it was slow, opaque and heavily dependent on manual workflows.

In 2024, the SRA undertook a complete digital overhaul under its initiative titled Citizen-Centric Digital Services. The objective was simple yet profound: to transform how citizens access housing-related services by making them transparent, efficient, inclusive and available anytime, anywhere.

Identifying the Challenges

The journey began by addressing the core pain points that affected both citizens and administrators. Manual processes required citizens to visit offices repeatedly, leading to delays and frustration. Transparency was limited in areas such as rent payments, tenement transfers and allotments. Persons with disabilities and senior citizens struggled to access services. Communication between citizens and officials was fragmented and administrative staff were overburdened with routine manual work.

To ensure that citizens from all backgrounds— especially those from marginalised and vulnerable communities—could easily access essential housing services, SRA decided to adopt a digital-first approach. The focus was on inclusivity, transparency and efficiency.

Laying the Digital Foundation

The transformation was carefully structured over multiple phases.