.Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (LSMC) are all set to introduce automation system for building permits. Dr Uttar Regmi, chief of Automation and House Number Department at KMC, says, “We are in the pilot phase of automation programme.

If all goes well, the `Automated Building Plan Approval and Monitoring System' (ABPMS) will likely be launched in mid-May to simplify the process of acquiring building permits.“ Stakeholders be lieve that the digital recording system will not only simplify the process but also integrate safer building codes into existing building permit approval system, making the work more transparent, ensure up-to-date records of physical infrastructures, generate urban data, record the physical changes in core areas, help in land use zoning and most importantly facilitate in monitoring Building by-laws and National Building Code.

Ram Kumar Dhakal, an engineer at Earthquake Disaster Management Section of LSMC, says, “We planned to implement the automation system as soon as the software was designed. As this technology is the first of its kind to be introduced here, we are doing much homework to ensure there are no hiccups, which is why it is taking time.“ The officers assure that they will introduce the system in few weeks.

The automation project has been financed by Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Programme (CDRMP) under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). KMC and LSMC will use application software to issue building permits and record the blueprints and other related documents in digital form in their web-based network for new and already existing documents.

In the first phase, the KMC will digitise maps of 10,000 buildings out of approximately 150,000 existing records while LSMC plans to digitise 5,000 maps out of 60,000 records. Additionally, once ABPMS is launched they will record new maps in digital form.According to LSMC, they have already completed data entry of 1,000 records.

Stating that it is government's duty to safeguard the information, Regmi articulates, “All the digital records will be saved in the main server of Government Integrated Data Centre at Singha Durbar, along with backup server at Hetauda and KMC. Unlike hardcopies, the risk of losing records will be minimal in this system.“

Metropolises will also provide a copy of house map and approval certificate in digital form to concerned person after keeping the digital record of house maps.Despite the fact that the project is beneficial for planning, digitisation programme is also riddled with challenges. According to officials, lack of skilled manpower to work on digital programme and substituting decade-long system are main hurdles at present.

Dhakal further adds, “It is compulsory to organise workshops and training programmes for engineers and professional designers to make them aware of the system. Until and unless they don't get trainings, the whole programme could fall apart and the concerned authorities should be aware about this too.“ Man Bahadur Thapa, programme manager of CDRMP, considers the sustainability of the project in long run as the main challenge. Thapa says that both municipalities have taken this new technology in a positive manner. For the automation project, the CDRMP has provided Rs 40 million for both hardware and software assistance to KMC and LSMC along with trainings for concern officers.

“The project is costlier than other traditional approaches,“ says Thapa, however he finds the coordination with municipalities inspiring and hopes for the success of the project. CDRMP also states that after analysing the output of two municipalities, they will further contem plate on assisting other mu nicipalities in the near future.

Naresh Giri, programme officer of Building Code and Land Use Planning at UNDP , says, “The programme will help in implementing NBC and by-laws, become an entry point to e-governance, help in taxation issues and motivate people to go for disaster resistant building in more transparent and accountable way.“

Reportedly, there will be listings of registered designers, masons list, municipal building permit process, building permit application, city profile, daily transaction records and useful links of institutions for data sharing purpose among others in the system.According to KMC, they plan to complete data entry of all the previous records within three years.

source:the himalayan times, 11 may 2013