RAJUK gets 11,000 applications after digitising approval process

A major transformation has taken place in the process for getting approvals for building construction and land use in the capital as the application and approval process for planning and construction permits is now fully digitised across all eight zones under the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).

At the same time, the implementation of a system to process applications within a set timeframe-combined with the practice of notifying applicants via mobile phone or e-mail regarding any missing documentation - has enhanced both the speed and transparency of the services.

According to RAJUK data, between March and September of this year, a total of 7,055 applications for planning permits were submitted online across the eight zones, of which 5,393 were approved.

During the same period, 3,930 applications for construction permits were submitted online, with 2,600 receiving approval. In total, 10,985 applications for these two types of permits were submitted over the seven-month period, and 7,993 were approved.

RAJUK officials said a 30-day deadline has been established for the processing of planning permits. Meanwhile, applications for construction permits are required to be presented to the Building Construction (BC) Committee within 24 days.

Efforts are made to ensure that applications are processed within the stipulated timeframe, provided that the documents and designs submitted by the applicant are accurate. If any documents are missing or if there are errors in an application, the applicant is notified online.

RAJUK Chairman, Engineer Md Reazul Islam, said in the past, people seeking planning or construction permits often faced significant harassment, frequently having to approach various officials and navigate between different desks to get their work done.

To spare service recipients from such hardships, planning and construction permits are now being issued online, he added.

He said previously, obtaining these services was time-consuming and caused significant inconvenience to the public. "To better serve applicants, specific timeframes have now been established."

The RAJUK chairman explained that while design approvals were already being processed online, there was previously no fixed timeline for them.

Now, however, clear time limits have been set for the approval of both planning and construction permits, he said, adding that there is a mandatory requirement to submit applications to the Building Construction Committee within 24 days, a process that is actively monitored by RAJUK.

He added that the online service system has received positive feedback from users, who have expressed satisfaction with the process, and such initiatives will continue.

Reazul said efforts are underway to digitise all services provided by RAJUK, while plans are in place to gradually bring other functions, including tendering and estate-related operations under the digital system.

Engineer Nur-E-Khuda, Director (Development) at RAJUK, told BSS that between March and September, the number of applications received for planning permits were 1,059 in Zone-1, 797 in Zone-2, 1,030 in Zone-3, 1,663 in Zone-4, 503 in Zone-5, 1,170 in Zone-6, 483 in Zone-7, and 350 in Zone-8.

Of these, the number of applications approved was 878 in Zone-1, 589 in Zone-2, 741 in Zone-3, 1,609 in Zone-4, 305 in Zone-5, 767 in Zone-6, 228 in Zone-7, and 276 in Zone-8. The remaining applications are awaiting resolution due to incomplete documentation or other procedural reasons.

During the same period, applications for construction permits were submitted as follows: 707 in Zone-1, 413 in Zone-2, 526 in Zone-3, 1,189 in Zone-4, 229 in Zone-5, 461 in Zone-6, 188 in Zone-7, and 217 in Zone-8.

Of these, approvals were given to 401 applications in Zone-1, 225 in Zone-2, 365 in Zone-3, 753 in Zone-4, 97 in Zone-5, 405 in Zone-6, 148 in Zone-7, and 206 in Zone-8.

Md Monirul Haque, Director (Development Control-1) at RAJUK, said applications containing errors or missing documentation are being returned to the applicants via the online system.

"Once an applicant addresses these deficiencies and resubmits the application, it enters the online approval process. In cases where the necessary requirements are not met, the application is rejected and subsequently closed," he said.

Although RAJUK's permit system has transitioned online, the entire approval process is not yet fully digitised. Following the approval of building designs, the supervision of construction work is still conducted manually. So, in many instances, No Objection Certificates (NOCs) must be obtained from various government agencies prior to the approval of a design.

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NOCs are required from several entities, including the Fire Service, the Civil Aviation Authority, and others. Many of these agencies still follow manual procedures for issuing such certificates. Consequently, even though RAJUK's own approval system is online, the manual processes of these external agencies often hinder the overall approval timeline, preventing it from achieving the desired level of efficiency.

RAJUK's Chief Urban Planner, Engineer Md Ashraful Islam, said the digitisation of the planning permit and design approval process began in 2016 through a pilot project, funded by the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Initially, land-use-related activities were digitised only in Zone 5 - the Dhanmondi area - but the initiative was subsequently expanded to all eight zones under the jurisdiction of RAJUK.

He said an Electronic Construction Permitting System was introduced under the Dhaka Urban Resilience Project, which remains in operation on Sunday.

The chief urban planner said by bringing all relevant agencies under a single umbrella, 'one-window cell', the process of obtaining planning permits or design approvals could be made more efficient and transparent, which would further reduce approval times and alleviate public inconvenience.

According to the RAJUK officials, the transition to an online system for permit applications and approvals across eight zones has already simplified the service process. However, to transform the entire system into a truly effective 'one-stop' service, other essential components - such as the issuance of no-objection certificates (NOCs) from relevant agencies, construction-phase inspections, and other supporting activities -must also be integrated into the digital framework.

Stakeholders believe that if all concerned agencies are brought onto a unified, integrated platform, the time required for building construction approvals will decrease, and public suffering will further minimise.