MARGAO
Citizens who visited the Citizens Service Centre (CSC) at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex in Margao on Monday were left waiting for hours after the online server went down around noon, disrupting the delivery of several essential government services.
The technical snag brought routine work at the centre to a standstill, leaving applicants seeking services such as residence certificates and other government documents unable to complete their applications. Officials at the counter informed visitors that services could resume only after the server was restored, asking them to wait or return later.
The unexpected disruption caused frustration among members of the public, many of whom had travelled from different parts of Salcete specifically to complete official work. Several complained that they had taken time off work and incurred travel expenses, only to find that the system was non-functional.
Citizens questioned why the government had not put in place an alternative mechanism to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of essential public services during technical failures.
One woman applicant said the government should provide a manual or offline option whenever the online system becomes unavailable. “Earlier, people used to submit applications for residence certificates directly to the taluka Mamlatdar's office. Since the Citizens Service Centre was set up about five years ago, all applications have been routed through the online system. Whenever there is a system failure, the government should allow citizens to directly approach the concerned department so that essential services are not held up,” she said.
Several applicants echoed similar concerns, stating that while the digitisation of government services has improved convenience under normal circumstances, it has also made citizens entirely dependent on technology. They argued that technical glitches should not deprive people of access to time-sensitive services, particularly when certificates are required for admissions, employment and other official purposes.
