Mumbai builders can now check their proposals online

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has told builders to scrutinize building proposal files with the help of approved software before submitting them, as it will minimise developer-official interaction and will control corruption.

Civic officials, who hope to grant building permission within two months, want to eliminate the role of middlemen like architects, who deal with them on behalf of builders to get permission.

The BMC has been using the Auto-DCR software for the last few months to scrutinize proposal files submitted by builders. It examines the height, width, length of flats, stairs, lobby, refugee area, open area along with other details and indicates deficiencies.

The BMC has told builders to purchase the software and check their proposals.

The building proposals (BP) department, which grant construction permission, is considered one of the most corrupt departments in the BMC. Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta, who has been attempting to put a system in place to minimize corruption, discussed the issue with builders and BP officials and concluded that they have to first remove middlemen.

The builders and BP officials had several meetings, from which the middlemen were kept away. He chaired around a dozen of the meetings before reaching a consensus on reducing the NOCs from 150 to 70. Civic officials will make the process online and keep builders updated about the status of files. An official said builders need not approach civic officials, which will reduce corruption.

The civic authorities have approached chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to inaugurate the new proposal booklet, which has norms on the reduced permissions.

An official stated that once builders submit proposals, they scrutinize them through the software, which take a few minutes. Earlier they would scrutinize them manually, which would take a month. After scrutiny, the file goes to the storm water drain, sewage, tariff, road, fire and garden departments for NOCs. Sometimes, a sub-engineer from the BP department visits the site and submits a report to the assistant engineer. The file then goes to the deputy chief engineer and then the chief engineer (BP).

The entire process takes around a year-and-a-half. Builders often appoint an architect to coordinate with civic officials to get permission. Builders will now have to submit files online, a copy of which will go to departments concerned, and they have to issue NOCs within seven days. Builders will be intimated about it through an SMS or email.

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