Training Programme On The Use Of AutoDCR Inaugrated
Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra addresses the inaugural of a training programme on the use of AutoDCR in the city on Monday. The Coimbatore Corporation is focussing on imparting training to builders, architects, property developers and licensed building surveyors in the use of a software for online submission of building plans for approval.The objective is to popularise a new and transparent system that can reduce the time of scrutiny and approval of a building plan. In turn, this can eliminate the trauma of a long wait for clearance and also deny room for malpractice that a long drawn-out manual process could provide. Inaugurating the first of the training sessions on Monday, Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra announced a tentative deadline of January 15 to stop the manual process of applying for approval.
The Corporation is promoting the software, AutoDCR, to reduce processing time and ensure transparency in the entire process. (DCR stands for Development Control Rules). The software has been developed by a Pune-based company and obtained by the associations of builders, architects and consulting civil engineers in the city. The objective is to enable quick scrutiny and approval and eliminate room for malpractice that mostly result in the violation of building rules. A Pre-DCR software is used to apply online for approval. The Commissioner said this was the area where there reluctance on the part of licensed building surveyors to adopt the AutoDCR.
“They said it was difficult for them to invest in installing the Pre-DCR software that was required to submit applications online. But, I told them at the meeting that it was only a one-time investment of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 6,000,” the Commissioner said. “I also told them that on January 15 or sometime after Pongal, we would stop accepting manual applications. By that time, we plan to have some more training.” Mr. Mishra explained that the training basically aimed at creating a positive environment towards all sections accepting a new system that contained benefits for them. For instance, the manual process of approval now took six months to one-and-a-half years for approval, depending on the category of the building.
With the new software enabling quick checking of the rules, the scrutiny and approval could be done in three to 15 days, again depending on the category of the building. Apart from speed and transparency, the new system enabled the optimum use of available manpower. In fact, it required much less manpower compared with the manual process. On the special focus on training, the Commissioner said: “At present, there is lack of training and motivation. We need to provide both to enable full use of the new system.”
