The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department in Goa is on the verge of a significant upgrade in its building approval processes. The state is set to extend its Automated Building Plan Approval Management System (BPAMS), initially introduced for single-dwelling units, to encompass multi-dwelling units.
This move marks a major step towards enhancing efficiency and transparency in the approval process for residential complexes. The BPAMS, launched in July 2020, has streamlined the approval process for individual homes by rapidly analysing building plans to ensure they comply with the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations. This system generates comprehensive reports detailing any deviations from the established guidelines, thereby facilitating a swift review process. The proposed extension of BPAMS to multi-dwelling units will automate the scrutiny of building plans for residential complexes, aiming to minimise human intervention and reduce the scope for corruption.
According to Goa’s TCP Minister, the extension of BPAMS is expected to significantly expedite the issuance of development permissions, technical clearances, and completion certificates for multi-dwelling projects. The department has already begun to expedite approvals for large-scale housing developments, and similar fast-tracking measures will be applied to the BPAMS system for these projects. This transition is anticipated to improve Goa’s performance on ease-of-doing-business metrics and enhance overall operational efficiency. Despite initial resistance, the TCP Department’s decision to broaden the scope of BPAMS reflects a commitment to modernising the building approval framework and fostering a more investor-friendly environment. The system’s ability to rapidly process approvals and ensure compliance with regulations will likely address longstanding challenges in the approval process, paving the way for a more streamlined approach to managing Goa’s growing residential and commercial infrastructure needs.
The planned expansion of Goa’s BPAMS to include multi-dwelling units signifies a progressive shift towards digitalisation and efficiency in the state’s real estate sector. By automating the building approval process for larger residential projects, the TCP Department aims to enhance transparency, reduce bureaucratic delays, and improve Goa’s attractiveness as a business destination. As the state moves forward with these upgrades, it is poised to achieve significant improvements in regulatory efficiency and ease of business operations.