No approval made online since launch

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 9

The Department of Local Government that had rolled out its ambitious flagship programme of ‘e-Naksha’ in August has not gone well with architects, as not even a single approval has been made online since its launch. The system has failed to attract applicants and architects.

As per information, not only Jalandhar but most of the municipal corporations and councils have not started the work online actively. The applicants are preferring offline mode to get their maps approved. But, the department is now planning to close the offline system from December 1.

In the beginning of the year, the department had announced that the system will be introduced and people will be free as they will not have to follow the long offline procedure of getting their maps approved. Navjot Singh Sidhu, Local Bodies Minister, had then said a software would be provided to the Town Planning wings of the Department of Local Government, Punjab, to ensure that a building proponent did not require visiting any of the offices and submission of building plans in hard copy version was to be entirely done away with. But it seems that it is taking long for the architects to understand the system.

Though a capacity-building exercise was performed in the MCs, it still seems to be a painstaking task.

The Mumbai-based company, i.e. ABM knowledgeware Ltd, which is looking after the project, had given training to staff of all municipal bodies and councils and even the architects were called.

As per the claims made by Jalandhar Municipal Corporation department officials, a few had applied online, but the plans could not get matured.

“The software will only approve the map if it is made according to the bylaws,” an official said.

The process

The process involves applying online on the department website (www. enaksha. lgpunjab.gov.in).

The officials said outrightly the offline system had not got closed yet, but the applicants, architects and even the staff members were being told to use the online system more.

“We are facing Initial hiccups. If we get any request, will send company’s representatives to clear the doubts,” said Rajnish Wadhwa, who has been assigned the project by the government at the state level. The officer said: “We are planning that by December 1, the process will be done online only and the department will close the offline system.”

How software works

‘Auto DCR’ is the software which is being used in the online system. It scrutinises the online drawing, which is submitted.

The officers said there was a format of drawing in which the drawing would be submitted and the second factor was colour coding. If any mistake happens at this stage, like if neither of these two are as per the bylaws, then the file will be rejected by the software. It checks everything in reference to the provisions of the building bylaws.