TS-bPASS impresses many

Bhagwant Singh Mann evinces interest in introducing similar system in the Punjab

Hyderabad: Impressed with the Telangana State Building Permission Approval and Self-Certification System (TS-bPASS), a revolutionary reform in obtaining building permissions, other States are evincing interest in introducing such a system.

After learning about TS-bPASS last year, the Tamil Nadu government rolled out a new act and introduced a similar system. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann visited the TS-bPASS recently and evinced interest in introducing a similar building permission approval system, TS-bPASS Chief Executive Officer Vinay Kumar said.

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TS-bPASS is the Telangana government’s digital initiative to issue building permissions. Based on self-certification by the applicants, small and medium house permissions are granted immediately, while large and highrise structure designs are scrutinised after which permission is granted through a single-window system in 21 days.

Except for Telangana, no other State in the country has a such robust and hassle-free process for obtaining building permissions. A few corporations and municipalities in Maharashtra had introduced a similar system, but their services were limited to respective ULB limits. Unlike TS-bPASS, wherein applications are approved in 21 days, there was no time-bound approval process.

Further, after receiving an application, the entire process of scrutiny is done manually in Maharashtra, which is time-consuming. For introducing and implementing a building permission approval system similar to TS-bPASS, a law has to be enacted. Without enacting a law, such a system cannot be implemented effectively. Telangana enacted the Municipalities Act 2019 and the TS-bPASS platform was introduced on November 16, 2020, Kumar said.

The TS-bPASS CEO further added that if the system was used effectively, it would also help the governments provide basic amenities and develop infrastructure in ULBs. For instance, if many applications were being filed from a particular ULB, the government can analyse the trend and develop infrastructure in the region. Similarly, it can also study the reasons for lesser applications from other ULBs and initiate measures to improve the living standards, he said.