<p>After years of dithering, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is all set to issue khatas and plan sanctions online. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Currently, khatas are issued and transferred manually. “Everything will be online with our new software. We want to ensure that both khata and building plan approval are issued in a time-bound manner,” BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad told DH.<br /><br />Building plans can now be submitted online, but the process is not fully online. A program checks whether a building plan complies with bylaw and zoning regulations, but the scrutiny of related documents and grant of approval are still done manually.<br /><br />Model bylaw<br /><br />Sources said the BBMP was inclined to accept the Model Building Bylaw 2016 document circulated by the Centre in July last year.<br /><br />But some recommendations, such as deemed approval for small residential properties, are unlikely to be implemented in Bengaluru, the sources said.<br /><br />The Centre’s intention of sharing the document was to promote ease of doing business.<br /><br />Interestingly, the BBMP’s online initiative comes in the wake of Karnataka slipping to the 14th rank in the ease-of-doing-business rankings in 2016. A year earlier, it had been in the 9th position.<br /><br />The failure to introduce online approvals for building plans was one of the reasons cited for the state ending up lower.<br /><br />Corruption is rampant in generating and transferring khata, and granting building plan approvals, citizens complain.<br /><br />In some prime areas, elected representatives have to give their blessings before officials process applications.<br /><br />The BBMP had been talking about an online system for years, but had done little because of resistance from various quarters, the sources said.</p>
<p>After years of dithering, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is all set to issue khatas and plan sanctions online. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Currently, khatas are issued and transferred manually. “Everything will be online with our new software. We want to ensure that both khata and building plan approval are issued in a time-bound manner,” BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad told DH.<br /><br />Building plans can now be submitted online, but the process is not fully online. A program checks whether a building plan complies with bylaw and zoning regulations, but the scrutiny of related documents and grant of approval are still done manually.<br /><br />Model bylaw<br /><br />Sources said the BBMP was inclined to accept the Model Building Bylaw 2016 document circulated by the Centre in July last year.<br /><br />But some recommendations, such as deemed approval for small residential properties, are unlikely to be implemented in Bengaluru, the sources said.<br /><br />The Centre’s intention of sharing the document was to promote ease of doing business.<br /><br />Interestingly, the BBMP’s online initiative comes in the wake of Karnataka slipping to the 14th rank in the ease-of-doing-business rankings in 2016. A year earlier, it had been in the 9th position.<br /><br />The failure to introduce online approvals for building plans was one of the reasons cited for the state ending up lower.<br /><br />Corruption is rampant in generating and transferring khata, and granting building plan approvals, citizens complain.<br /><br />In some prime areas, elected representatives have to give their blessings before officials process applications.<br /><br />The BBMP had been talking about an online system for years, but had done little because of resistance from various quarters, the sources said.</p>