'Odisha's new building plan approval system not friendly', say architects

BHUBANESWAR: Difficulties in uploading drawings and other issues pertaining to submission of application in the building plan approval system (BPAS) on Sustainable Urban Service by Odisha Government's (SUJOG) portal has led to resentment.

The new software instead of making the building plan approval easy, has made it cumbersome, allege architects and realtors.  

The system, introduced by the Housing and Urban Development department for BDA and BMC, however, is 'not user friendly at all', claimed a memorandum by Odisha chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects to the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).

The process of BPAS through SUJOG was started in the City in January as part of the State government's e-governance services under '5T' to fast-track approval of building plan. The body claimed that the new online platform, designed and developed by the SUJOG firm, has made things complicated delaying the plan approval process in the city.

An architect said they encounter problem due to the complicated system of uploading information, drawing and documents in the new software. "The new software asks for uploading of drawing of a building plan in different layers making the process cumbersome for the architects. Besides it seeks 100 pc more scrutiny fee each time one wants to make correction to his/her application," the architect said and added that technical issues have not been addressed despite repeated request to SUJOG coordinators as well as BDA and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

A realtor's association AFORD said the new software is not fully compliant to Odisha Development Authority rules. There are also complaints that approved building plan could not be downloaded for days as the website had stopped functioning properly.

A SUJOG official, however, said that they were facing difficulties in running the website for some days after server of the platform crashed at the State Data Centre in OCAC in May third week. It has been restored now. "The issue has now been addressed and the system has been made completely operational since Sunday," he said.

Member, Planning of BDA Gouri Sankar Bhuyan said the architects are required to submit project drawings in layers as process of scrutiny which was being earlier done in manual mode. It has now been automated in the new system. 

BDA officials said Sujog has also been asked to rework on error rectification in application to prevent repayment of scrutiny fees which could take some time.