By Usha Santhosh

AS Oman moves ahead in an era of peace and prosperity guided by His Majesty the Sultan’s wise leadership, the Muscat Municipality joins the nation in the celebrations in another year of renaissance on 23rd July.

Abdullah bin Abbas, president of the Muscat Municipality , outlined the strategy behind the achievements of the municipality as the undaunted pioneering spirit, which makes it the most innovative government organisation in the region. He said: “Our tradition has always been our pioneering activities that are the outcome of our innovative vision and our crystal-clear perception. Muscat Municipality ’s potential and capabilities are powered by the commitment to its citizens and public, which induce it to continue in its mission of excellence. Our commitment to the progress of the nation helps us to pursue multiple roles, exceeding the traditional roles played by similar bodies in other countries. The municipality is deeply committed to servicing the Muscat region. Here, our aspirations know no limits, and we have proved this repeatedly to the people of Oman . Our initiative and innovative ideas are the result of our traditional attitude towards public care, which is our core interest. In our relentless pursuit for excellence, we have succeeded in changing ideas into opportunities for the citizen’s welfare. Our people remain our inspiration. We have always succeeded in fulfilling the citizens existing expectations and take pride when we, with our foresight, fulfil their expectations, which are yet to arise. Our distinctiveness reflects in our attitude towards the progress of the Omani people. Our resolve to accomplish our goals towards public welfare remains our tradition”.  

Milestones

We have e-revolutionised Muscat into an e-city. Muscat Municipality has effectively contributed towards the metamorphosis of Oman into an e-city. Our pioneering efforts have made global e-commerce a reality. Understanding customer perspective inspires our future vision. Meeting the electronic commerce change has been our priority. We are not only continuously meeting customer requirement but also actually exceeding them. Our pride lies in satisfying the citizens, which motivates us to constantly enhance our performances and our dedication. Muscat Municipality has introduced their first of its kind service to the public benefit. It takes care of reaching the public through electronic media for faster and better information regarding all their services to the public. As the first step Muscat Municipality has piloted the following services: parking violation; building permits; municipality licence and rent contract.

Online-tie-up with OTN

Muscat Municipality ’s e-service for its citizens has significantly streamlined its procedures, which has curtailed inefficiencies and costs involved in the earlier system of supply chain accruing from presenting bills and tenders. Trading partners regardless of their size have gained entry into cyberspace due to its teaming with OTN. This has allowed the suppliers to either connect directly to this system through the information-document city website created by OmanTrada Net. The Omani business community can now avail of the early advantage of e-commerce. “The objective has been to make the traders communicate effectively with Muscat Municipality ” said, Yakoob Dur Mohammed Al Bulushi, director of information systems at the municipality. Ushering in of e-governance and e-business is the aim of the municipality.

SMS system

The municipality has launched a new innovative short messaging system (SMS) through GSM and Internet, aiming to simplify its procedures for their dealing customers. It involves sending short continuous updating message informing them of the status of their applications and transactions, thus resulting in saving of time and efforts and end in smooth finalisation of transactions. It makes commitment towards our customers more meaningful and complete.

Interactive on-line forum

The municipality has started an online discussion forum, which clearly does away with the barriers existing between the public and management and brought them closer. The management thus has become easily accessible, as the public can address their grievances or queries directly. The interactive forum on the Muscat Municipality site (www.mctmnet.gov.om) has made communication swift and individualistic. This has proved to be immensely popular amongst the citizens and residents.

New transaction engine

Transaction engine to be shortly introduced by Muscat Municipality will thereby complete its e-governance. The director of information systems at the municipality said: “The perception of the project is completely from the customer’s perspective. It will allow its customers to pay fine and fees through Internet. The existing relationship with public needed technological intervention and will now involve web-help. People and big business houses can conveniently pay taxes through Internet. No visits to Muscat Municipality will now be required. They can pay, renew and query online. The system is available to credit card users as well as non-users. All credit cards would be accepted for the online payments.

Generally, people are skeptical about using their credit cards while making online payments in spite of acknowledging the accruing benefits. The new system has been designed to overcome this aversion of the citizens. It also caters to those who don’t have credit cards or dislike using their credit cards and instead allows them to conduct their on-line transactions by making cash deposits at the cafes. Nearly 150 cyber cafés, typing centers spread over the capital are being involved in this project. They will be enrolled as Muscat Municipalities agents on the payment of minimum RO100. The personnel of these units will be trained and these agents will display the Muscat Municipality Logo. By paying a nominal fee, the user can avail of the services. The aim is to make e-transactions, people’s transactions ”.

Road modification projects

The Sultanate’s majestic landscape run over by the immaculate roads and graceful flyovers have brought it immense praise.

Muscat has the most modern network of roads in the region, built to international standard and specifications. Abdulla Mohammed Al Sa’di, director of roads at the Muscat Municipality , said: “Our goal is to build a more comprehensive road network so as to offer the public a wider choice of routes and reduce traffic congestion. The Al Khuwair–Al Ghubra project after completion will ease the traffic congestion and improve traffic flow in these areas. The contract for the work has been assigned to Consolidated Contractors Co Oman LLC. The project was initiated in July 2001 and the estimated time period of the project is 21 months. The contract cost being RO7 million. As on July 2002, nearly 50 per cent of the project is completed. Simultaneously, another presently executing project is dualisation work of Wadi Adai-Quriyat Road . The project has been entrusted to Galfar. The contract price is RO8.7 million. The execution of the project started in September 2001, and is scheduled to complete in March 2003 ”. Completion of these projects will alleviate the traffic congestion problems and provide more convenient option of roads to the public.  

Award for excellence in public services  

The municipality has won the first position for excellence in public services in the Arab world. The award is one of the three established by Arab Organisation for administrative development, which is an affiliate of the Arab League. The Muscat Municipality received the award from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai .  The award’s objective is to encourage Arab establishments in the private and public sectors to upgrade and develop services and also encouraging the concept of creativity, excellence, quality and sound performance in management besides inculcating a strong sense of competition and cooperation between private and government sectors. The award has added another feather in the cap of the municipality, which has won recognition from Arab City Organisation and other international organisations working in the field of hygiene, beautification and architecture. This enviable award has come to us due to the high levels of public service offered by us and consistently maintaining high standards of sanitation and cleanliness, which has set records. Muscat Municipality continues its concerted efforts to sustain the capital city’s cleanliness and beauty through man and machine. The implementation of uplift schemes through geographical surveys is another of its hallmarks.  

The municipality provides the best public services, which has helped it to retain its envious reputation as one of the world’s cleanest and beautiful cities.  

Its tradition of people’s welfare constantly gives it an impetus for hard work and commitment.