Pune: Persistent technical difficulties with the central online system used for birth and death registrations are causing delays in issuing certificates by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

The municipal health department has acknowledged the issues and has requested citizens to cooperate until the system is fully restored to normal functionality.

The central system, which has been facing recurring problems, is managed under the Civil Registration System (CRS) implemented by the central government in 2019.

This system was introduced to standardize the registration and issuance of birth and death certificates across the country. Since then, all local bodies, including PMC, have been required to register births and deaths using this platform.

Prior to 2019, the PMC was independently issuing birth and death certificates. However, the central CRS system has made it mandatory for all local bodies to use the same online platform. Recently, changes were made to the system.

Until June 24 of this year, citizens could obtain certificates from any regional office of the municipal corporation, regardless of the location of the birth or death. Now, citizens must collect certificates from the specific regional office where the event was registered.

The technical issues, including server downtimes and processing delays, have caused significant disruptions in certificate issuance. This has led to frustration among citizens, who have been facing delays in receiving their required documents.

The municipal health department has been regularly communicating with various authorities, including the district registrar, the state health officials, and the central CRS authorities, to address the ongoing issues.

In the meantime, health officials such as Dr. Neena Borade, the head of the municipal health department, and Dr. Manisha Naik, assistant health chief, have appealed to citizens for patience and cooperation as efforts are being made to resolve the technical challenges.