Submission of plans for new buildings goes online

In yet another move to provide better facilities to people, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has made it mandatory for the online submission of plans for new buildings. 

The system has been operating in seven boroughs — 6, 7, 9, 2, 12, 4 and 5. Steps have already been taken to introduce the online system in the remaining seven boroughs. 

If all the documents submitted by the owner are valid, the KMC will take around 15 days to sanction the plan. However, in case of buildings above 13.5 metres, the KMC will take around three weeks to give clearance as the matter is sent to the Municipal Building Committee (MBC) for approval. 

Besides senior civic employees, an architect, representatives of city police’s traffic department and fire and emergency services department are also the members of the committee. 

The MBC is now held twice a month to expedite the sanction process.

The owner of a proposed building will submit the plan made by an architect or licensed building surveyor. 

The clearance from the law, collection and assessment departments are required to get sanction. 

The KMC will examine the building plan and other necessary documents before sanctioning the project online. 

A senior civic official said the system had stem corruption over issuing of sanctioned plan. 

Earlier, owners of buildings had to wait for several months. The Kolkata Improvement Trust (KIT), whose clearance about the width of the road on which the proposed building is coming up is mandatory to get sanction, took several months to give nod. 

This had delayed the projects unnecessarily. The problem has been ironed out as KMC has list of road with the width. 

The building inspectors will visit the site after the construction has started. They will carry the plan as it will be easier for them to detect the deviation. 

In case of any dispute, KMC will call the owner and the architect and the matter will be resolved at the earliest.

The system was first introduced in borough 6. Taking cue from the success, it was subsequently introduced in other wards. 

A senior official said in North Kolkata, which falls under borough 2 online system, has brought much relief to people. 

Mayor Sovan Chatterjee said the KMC was committed to make its offices paperless. “A day will come when no one will have to come to KMC offices as the payments will be done online. This will ensure transparency and improve work culture,” he said.