Pune: PMC Updates Birth, Death Certificate Issuance Policy, Requires Visits to Specific Ward Offices

Pune, 11th July 2024: To obtain copies of birth or death certificates, citizens now need to visit the respective ward offices of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). A recent update by the central government has limited access to these certificates, making them available only at the ward office where the event was registered.

This change mandates that citizens go to the exact ward office where births or deaths were recorded to obtain necessary documents. However, frequent server slowdowns have prolonged the process, making it two to three times longer than usual.

Since 2019, births and deaths in Pune City have been registered using the Central Government’s Civil Registration Software (CRS). Previously, certificates could be obtained from any PMC ward office regardless of the registration location. However, starting from 24th June, due to software updates, certificates are now restricted to the specific ward office of registration, causing inconvenience for many citizens.

The revised process involves filling out forms of various colors (yellow, pink, white) at the birth-death office and attaching identification. Subsequently, a certificate printout is issued, which citizens must then take to the civic facility center for fee payment and PMC stamping. This dual-step process has led to time wastage and occasional disputes.

For instance, if a woman gives birth in Shivajinagar but registers the event at a hospital in Viman Nagar, or if a person from Camp passes away in an Aundh hospital, the certificate can only be obtained from the ward office where the event was registered. Previously, such certificates were accessible from any ward office in Pune city, irrespective of the event location. Now, affected citizens must visit specific ward offices, adding travel time and inconvenience, exacerbated by Pune’s traffic congestion.

Dr. Kalpana Baliwant, Medical Officer of the Health Department at PMC, clarified, “The Central Government’s update to the Civil Registration Software (CRS) mandates certificates to be issued from the specific ward office of registration for births and deaths. Citizens are being informed of this change, and employees are undergoing training on the updated software. Issues faced by citizens and employees are being communicated to the government.”

A resident of Sinhagad Road shared, “When I went to the Sinhagad Road Ward Office to register my daughter’s birth, I was directed to the Warje Ward Office because her birth had been registered there. Previously, I could have obtained the certificate from any ward office in Pune city, so this change resulted in multiple trips due to lack of awareness.”