BBMP's single-window clearance promises building permits in 45 days

In a major relief to builders, the civic body on Friday launched a single-window online clearance system, which enables applicants to get a building permit in 45 days.

Mayor M Goutham Kumar and BBMP commissioner B H Anil Kumar inaugurated the online system. While it required 54 clearances from various agencies to get the permit, the civic body has now brought it down to 10.

While India has been ranked 27th for getting construction permits based on the Ease Of Doing Business (EODB) reforms implemented in Delhi and Mumbai, the World Bank has now included Bengaluru and Kolkata in the process. Inclusion of the two cities in implementing the reforms would improve the EODB rankings. Evaluating the implementation in Bengaluru has begun in February.

The World Bank issues the annual Doing Business Report (DBR) based on 11 parameters reflecting a comprehensive business environment in a country.

While contributing to the ease of getting building permits, the single-widow online system enables obtaining of a commencement certificate in nine days and an occupancy certificate in 18 days. Sanctioning of plans, which took six months to a year, would only take 18 days.

"If the agencies did not give the permits within the stipulated time, a deemed provision would kick in," the BBMP commissioner said.

The portal also has features like risk-based classification, online fee calculator and payment to all agency in a single transaction, empanelment of professionals (structural engineers and architects) and latent defect liability for professionals. Training will be provided to all architects, engineers and officials.

In the portal, prescriptive powers or sanctioning powers will be given to architects and structural engineers. A 60X40 site sanction can be received in a single day.