📲
Hundreds Of Glitches Reported In Mumbai’s Online Building Plan Approval System

Hundreds Of Glitches Reported In Mumbai’s Online Building Plan Approval System

Hundreds Of Glitches Reported In Mumbai’s Online Building Plan Approval System

It was a proud moment for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre when India jumped 30 spots to secure the 100th position at the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index of 190 countries. Encourage by the success, the government asked agencies in Delhi and Mumbai – the World Bank maps India's progress in ease on doing business only by examining two cities, its financial capital Mumbai and its national capital Delhi—to step on work and get a better ranking next time. The government, it seems, may be set for a disappointment when the global lender publishes this year’s report in October. Blame it on Mumbai!

The online system that was launched by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in 2016 to give building plan approvals online is faulty, say those who has been using the platform. The number of glitches seen in the system, known as automating development control regulations (Auto DCR) system, is no less that over 100, they say. Some say it is difficult to upload documents on the system, others say it is not able to read the digital signature, some others say even simple editing is quite difficult. While the civic body has ruled out any such problems, a third-party audit of the system carried out on the directions of the Central government earlier has confirmed the issues raised by builders and architects were right.

Concerns about the faulty software have been deepening at a time when the World Bank has started the ranking process.

Earlier, the World Bank’s perception report had also pointed out some uncomfortable facts about the BMC. According to the survey, most of the reforms promises by the BMC were only academic and things went on as they did in the past. Despite the launch of online systems, real estate developers still had to bribe officials to start their projects, the survey said.

Last Updated: Tue May 15 2018

Similar articles

@@Tue Feb 15 2022 16:49:29