Real-time Co-PPGIS Based Integrated Grievance Redressal Management System Modeling of Public Water Utilities of Lahore

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-2867683/v1

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Real-time Co-PPGIS Based Integrated Grievance Redressal Management System Modeling of Public Water Utilities of Lahore

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2867683/v1

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Lahore is the most populated and a rapid growing city of the province Punjab, Pakistan. The need of the time is to bank on e-governess to meet the demands of the people. To satisfy the complaint and grievance linked to the city emergency services, water supply and sanitation. Currently, these services are being handled by each department themselves and no proper centralized grievance system exists. There is no integrated approach adopted in response to complaints in Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), established by Lahore Development Authority (LDA). GPS mobile phones have become equally common in urban and rural areas. This paper will introduce an innovated technology based system name GIS-based real-time Grievance Redressal management system which is initially designed for Lahore. This system employs the Collaborative Public Participatory GIS (Co-PPGIS) environment for visualizing and analyzing the real-time Geo-statistical data both in spatial and non-spatial view through mobile and web based applications. The customer will register their complaint through android and web based applications equipped with map and participatory tools provided by the GIS. This paper provides a structure to overcome the mismanagement issues in government agencies and devises a check and balance flow model primarily for public utilities like water supply, sanitation and sewage. Hence, this paper is an effort to resolve public issues and grievance real-time engagement in faster, accurate and trustworthy way.

E-Governess

Co-PPGIS

Grievance Redressal system

Geo-statistical

A complaint management system is the state of the art tool to enhance efficiency of all companies and management institutions. It enable customer to register online complaint to eradicate corruption and for smooth service delivery.[9] District Lahore has witnessed the huge displacement of people toward city due to irregular distribution of resources and opportunities. Increase in population asks for more roads, institutions, infrastructure and dwellings to survive in a small area. To provide quality services has always been a challenge for government.

To cope with such miserable conditions, the government has to move forward towards state of the art technology and concepts like the E - governess. In this regard, GIS is being employed as a best practice in managing water utilities and in sanitation. Geography Information System (GIS) provides a system which is used for capturing data, storing, arranging, managing and displays as spatial data in a software. [10] It facilitates through providing specific tooIs like geo-technics, geophysics, navigation, Global Positioning System (GPS), Surveying, photogrammetry and remote sensing. [12] Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) has emerged as most reliable technique for spatial data collection pertaining to all stakeholders of landscape values to produce an integrated approach for policy.[14,15] It is evident from the practices that PPGIS can be empolyed to map landscape of various types [16] and later it is used in different GIS applications for visualization.

PPGIS techniques are applied in several ways like quantitative, qualitative or hybrid studies. [17] Qualitative techniques permit participants to classify and find issues on landscape and gather spatial data relating to specific study area maps drawn through polygons.[18]

An online complain management system provides reports department wise showing different status like pending, closed or open complains along with performance reports. [9] GIS based Web application which is made available on web browser. This application can easily be opened through internet network for gathering data and can be used as web based GIS interactive application.[10]

The McDonald’s outlet situated in Watu Gong, Malang branch have improved service quality through adaptable and most reliable form of complaint management which is Web-GIS based Complaint Management System. [11] For complaint registration in colleges, students have write application on paper which is not so user friendly environment. To cope with issue, a Grievance redressal system was developed. A web based interface allows users to register and login before to file a complaint against desired issue which are further sent and resolved by competent authority. The proposed model for the Complaint Redressal System will help to lessen people’s disappointment on this complaint system and will increase participation at through easy way of filing system at everyone ease.[13]

Water Supply is one of the most important services delivered by Municipal Coorporation [1].Water utilities include clean water supply and sewage. To provision of these facilities to Denizen of a particular area, there must be a network of pipeline, storage reservoir, pump stations, hydrants, manhole, meters and other network accessories. On the basis of structure, it can be classified as horizontal and vertical assets. Vertical assets correspond the assets which reside above the ground, for example storage reservoir, pump stations, etc.

Proper maintenance of these assets is as important as the provision of services to customers. This can enhance asset's life and helps in the provision of quality services. Developing countries like Pakistan, water supply and sanitation has been an ignored issue since it is considered as a secondary issue in the priority list. To eradicate this problem in the provision of quality services, prime objective is to identify the possible cause. So that it can be remedied through systematic planning and management. Current structure fails due to following reasons given below:

Poor or no maintenance structure of assets due to low budget
Lack of planning by the government
Feeble institutional structure and intensive inference of politician
Nonexistence of clear water policies in relation to service coverage and standards
Poor monitoring and evaluation
Lack in imposing service standards
Plenty of legal obstacles and barrier for local service providers

Few things are necessary to address in provisioning of public utilities like water supply etc. which given as follow.

Provision of utilities without competitive environment
No incentives for organizations or individuals for the provision of services
Nonexistence of community in planning and delivery

In this regard, to provide quality services, grievance and complaint from the customers must be responded within the prescribed time span. The study introduces a real-time map sharing along with location among the entire stakeholder (Service provide, rescue service provider 1122 etc.) to come up with an integrated approach to cope the issue either it belongs to maintenance or emergency/accidental. Location of water utility objection is the key element while addressing grievance from any customer. GIS technology in water service maintenance can be fruitful.

Following are types of complaint expected from the user:-

Bill issues

Parts/Installment

Pipeline leakage issue

Quality of service issues

Field Staff issues

Android application carries real-time map sharing facility and geo-tagging of water service delivery assets. Location of assets like valve, meters, hydrants, pumps, manhole cover will be displayed on map as user log in. By signing in application, user location will be shared with WASA, Rescue 1122 and associated agencies. These agencies already have a database of assets regarding all the relevant networks like water supply and sewage line with complete attribute information and status. This would lead to set up a collaborative and integrated system to address the customer’s complaints and emergency services with furious response.

Chief objectives behind the current study are featured below:

To collect Geospatial data of water and sanitation facilities (pumps, supply line, manhole etc.)

To develop spatial network of water supply line and sewage line

To integrate the data into a GIS environment in the form of layers

To design and develop and android application for users for complaint registration and to locate the issue through Geo-tagging option

To design an integrated conceptual framework model for Co-PPGIS based infrastructure and complaint sharing mechanism for the stakeholders

Lahore is situated in the eastern part of Punjab province with spatial position 31°32′59″N and 74°20′37″E as shown in this Fig. 1. Land in Lahore district comprises over plain area and bounded fertile alluvial plains. Lahore has 2.17 million population in 1971 which has extended up to 9.75 million in 2014 with a monstrous jump of 350 per cent. This considerable increment had been hindering to meet the demands of Denizen. Built up area covered 103.42 Km² in 1972 which has expanded to 1772.53 Km² in 2012 with an addition of 1613 per cent in this span. Such a rapid growth in land cover has adverse impacts of climate accordingly. So the demands for residential building and administrative purposes has also enhanced in outer area especially in Southeast of Lahore. [2]

The current research

5.1 Data Collection
Data collection involves collection of current maps and location water supply lines, sewage and drainage station. In Lahore, Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) is responsible to run and maintain these utilities. Currently, there are 316 tube wells which are employed for water supply. Pipe lines' length 3"-20" diameter is 3200 Km in the entire city. Tube wells are producing 329 MGD (Million Gallons per Day) in well-defined hours of the clock. From this water, about 4.11 M people are getting benefits out yet. Cantonment, Defense Housing Authority, Model, Railway Colonies and GORs are excluded from the WASA service area [10].

As for as sewerage assets are concerned, 11 major pumping stations are present at a key point in the city. The pumping capacity of these stations is about 2456 Cusec. Lift station are 61 at different location in each town. Sewers length is 3610 Km which is being used at present serving about 80% of the total population. Total drain’s length in Lahore is 180 Km constituting 8 major drains in which 76 tributaries drain is feeding the main drain. The total capacity of these drains is about 6474 Cusec. Pumping stations used for drainage are 4 for steady flow draining process [3].

Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data involved drawing of geospatial data from existing maps (water supply, sewer assets etc.). Secondary data was acquired from the field survey which was included validation of boundaries of service area, spatial location of above surface assets like tube wells, pumping station, water filtration plants manhole locations etc. Along with the spatial data collection, non-spatial data (Attribute data) of each asset was collected from the WASA like length of pipeline in specific road or street, diameter of pipeline, installation date, expiry date, capacity etc. Data of maintenance staff of specific area was also collected and incorporated in the database which was joined with spatial data. This data contained the information about specific people like name, father’s name, Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC), designation, duty time, employee type, contact Number etc.

5.2 Geo-Database Development

After the collection of data from a survey and spatial data extracted from existing maps, database development was started. For this purpose all the spatial data were fed into an ARC GIS environment in the form of layers. According to the nature of the assets, data were further categorized into point, line and polygons e.g. tube wells were assigned point, pipelines were digitized and saved as line feature in nature and service area boundary was displayed as polygon features, etc. In this way, the rest of the assets were classified into these three broad categories based on the nature of the feature or asset. Each category was displayed as single layer like pipeline layer, tube wells layer, pumping station layer, manhole layer, drains layer, overhead reservoir layer, etc.

Along with the visualization of spatial data in software, nonspatial data has equal importance on the basis of which different queries may be applied in database to fetch desired result in no time. So all the attribute information gathered during survey and existing record information from registers or files pertaining to assets was now integrated with spatial information by joining attribute tool in ARC GIS. This data were comprised over length, diameter, splice size, date of expiry of pipeline in a particular street etc.

5.3 Purposed Applications

This phase was divided into two different domains:

Mobile Application
Web Application

5.3.1 Android Mobile Application

This application was developed for the users of services of water and sanitation. It enabled the users to locate the place of issue, type of issue, the place mark facility in place, write a complaint against each mark, attach picture of that issue, attach voice complains as well, address, etc. in Google street map view. Mobile application also informs the users to see the status of complaint made against any issue [4].All this information will be shown real-time in the web based monitoring interface of the complaint Redressal cell at WASA, which will respond in the prescribed time span and keep in touch with the complainant. After Redressal of complaint, a short message service will be delivered to complainant via a cell number provided at the time of data entry of complaining. In the next section, it explained how this mobile application was integrated and worked with web application interface to produce desired results. Proposed interface with pipeline, manhole, complaint location as marker etc.data is shown in Fig. 2.

5.3.1 Web Based Complaint Redressal Application

It is also pertinent to mention that a user has another way to lodge complain like telephone calls to the contact center or through a web portal for registering complaints [5]. Along with mobile complaint registration application, there is need of complementary system to view and redress complaint by the concerned personnel. So to fulful the need, a Web Based Complaint Redressal Application developed in multi-layered account system. It depends upon the hierarchy of authority or department. After lodging every complaint, it is made time bound for complaint attendant. If he fails to respond in stipulated time span, it will be forwarded to upper layer account for taking immediate action against him. This application enables the user to monitor the status and progress made by the authority on the issue once the complaint is registered [6]. It help to to eradicate corruption and give facility to every user to monitor, track and resolve the issue at the earliest [7]. Hence system react itself any complaint left for any reason. Moreover, attendant will generate optimum route map and share it with field staff real-time on Android Application which he carries in his mobile device to locate the issue. Again this activity would be time bound and same response will be generated by the system. All activities which are performed at service providers end, initimated to complaint through android application. Resultantly, a comprehensive, self driven complaint redressal web application is established.

5.4 Field Staff Mobilization

Another phase in complaint redressal is to mobilze field staff. As field staff supervisor receives the map of the location that appears on his mobile screen he examine the nature of the complaint either it is an emergency case or not. After that he deputes a group of skilled worker to redress complaint in specified time. He is also liable to decide the mode of mobilization depends on the nature of area either road are wide enough or not. He shares the location and shortest route to field staff for further necessary action. Field staff mobilization is also being observed through the tracking application. Hence the effective monitoring of the whole activities is being ensured for redressing complaint. Mobile application interface which make the authority officials and denizen ultimately reduce cost and time for both [8].

This section will give the outcomes of study that relate to design a model for complaint redressal system based on public participatory GIS and Network Modelling employed in Arc GIS environment.

In the Fig. 3, Geo-Spatial Data of of tubewells and water supply network is shown. It is evident from the figure that how the spatial distribution of tubewells and pipeline exist geographically in Lahore. On the basis of this network, multiple Network analysis will be done to find the optimum path to locate the issues.

In the Fig. 4, Geo-Spatial Data of of Disposal Station and Sewerage network is shown. It gives ensight that how the spatial distribution of Disposal Station and Sewerage network exist in Lahore. On the basis of this network, multiple Network analysis will be performed to find the optimum path for field staff.

6.1. Database Architecture

Web and mobile application involves following database architecture.

Figure 5 represents the whole activity from data collection to web and android based application development. Data comprises over following possible dataset feature classes in form of layers:

Water supply Pipelines-Line data

Sewerage Pipelines-Line data

Tubewells-Point data

Manhole-Point data

Water Filteration Plant- Point data

Disposal Station- Point data

6.2. System Design and Architecture

Overall system design and architecture is shown in the Fig. 6. It exibits an integrated way to redress any complaint registered on the system.

Complainants use mobile applications to report problems. Complaints to cloud computing were then processed and collected in a database. On the employee side, the web application retrieves all categorized complaints from the database, allowing agents to visualize data and review existing complaints. Also, the responsible person can make a note of the correction and update the status of the complaint before sending it back to the person who filed the complaint as explained in Fig. 6. Hence this elaborate how the applications and complainants are integrated to register any issue.

6.2.1 Data Structure for Asset Management System

Designing a GIS-based asset management system involves designing its subcomponents: database servers, web services, and user-level taxonomies. Database server design is based on the requirements of the asset management system and the data attributes used to generate the desired queries. A possible relational data model is shown in Fig. 7 to explain relationship among the different attribute of assets.

The proposed complaint asset management will have following entities which integrate to resolve an particular issue:

End Users: Municipal staff, clients/customers
Authorized GIS users: Few authorized staff members who appointed for modifying system
Web GIS/mobile Portal Administrator: Web designer

6.2.2 Data Structure for Complaint Management System

Customer complaints are a key piece of information that reflects customer satisfaction and are the primary measure of customer dissatisfaction. Effective and efficient response to these complaints is a key indicator of an organization's performance. Overall data structure is shown in Fig. 8 which provides a relationship among the different entities.

Complaint Management System structure may be explained through different stages. In the first stage, database for storing complaint has been created. In the next stage, relationship between geodatabase and complaint database has been established. Spatial visulation of complaint in the third stage has been created to have a clear picture of issue with respect to particular area. At fourth stage, complaint is made traceable using network diagram. Final stage involves solution of complaint has been accomplished by troubleshooting.[19]

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests /funding/ personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper as these declarations listed are not relevant to the content of your submission. So, these are not applicable to current study.

Corresponding author wrote the main manuscript and originated the whole idea of the study. Rest of authors supervised the whole study and added a design of databases and streamline analysis.

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No competing interests reported.

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Real-time Co-PPGIS Based Integrated Grievance Redressal Management System Modeling of Public Water Utilities of Lahore

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Abstract

Figures

1. Introduction

2. Study Objectives

3. Study Area

4. Literature

5. Methodology

5.2 Geo-Database Development

5.3 Purposed Applications

5.3.1 Android Mobile Application

5.3.1 Web Based Complaint Redressal Application

5.4 Field Staff Mobilization

6. Discussions

6.1. Database Architecture

6.2. System Design and Architecture

6.2.1 Data Structure for Asset Management System

6.2.2 Data Structure for Complaint Management System

Declarations

References

Additional Declarations

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