In the light of the recent building collapse that killed five people, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is trying to adopt certain measures to help officials keep track of all those who approach them for approvals or clearances.
Hundreds of citizens visit BBMP offices for construction-related work. The civic body's Department of Town Planning has issued a notice asking such people, including agents, to submit a declaration stating the reason for the visit and who they represent, whether individuals, builders or developers.
According to senior civic officials, the main objective is to streamline the process of official correspondence through ‘liaisoning’ agents in addition to bringing in discipline, transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the working of the department. These reforms, officials added, will ensure ease of doing business, provide support to the Building Plan Approval Management System (BPAMS) and other online initiatives. “This is applicable not just in the Town Planning office at the head office, but all the department offices in the zones,” an official said.
The circular, a copy of which is with The Hindu , states that all those approaching the department's offices must submit their Aadhaar number and educational qualification. The original documents have to be presented, along with a copy of the same signed by a gazetted officer.
By authorising a ‘liaisoning’ agent to communicate, correspond and interact with officials, the BBMP hopes to build a database of citizens approaching its offices.
“If there is any untoward incident, we will have the details of who approached the BBMP office and the documents submitted. We won't have to scramble for details of owners, builders and developers,” the official said. However, he reiterated that through this notice, the BBMP ‘does not in any way imply nor endorse the general public to go through liaisoning agents for plan sanctions, communication, interaction or correspondence with the town planning offices or its officers’.
