HYDERABAD: The much-awaited Telangana State Building Permission Approval Self-certification System (TS-bPASS) is now available to citizens after its launch by Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao here on Monday.The new system is expected to cut the tedium of going around the offices for obtaining clearances for construction of buildings. Apart from cutting the red tape, it would also ensure transparency.After being in the works for quite some time now, it has finally became accessible to people.
Describing it as an initiative in the right direction, Rama Rao said that under TS-bPASS, self-certification by citizens would be enough for construction of buildings in plots of above 75 sq yards and up to 600 sq yards and for a height of up to seven metres.
The Minister, however, said that the self-certification facility is extended in good faith and if anyone tries to misuse the same, the civic body would have powers to demolish the buildings without even issuing any notice. He handed over the building permission copies to citizens who availed the services under TS-bPASS initiative after its launch. He said that the reforms being ushered in are intended to develop infrastructure in urban spaces and at the same time ensure decentralisation of administrative power for the welfare of people living in rural areas as well.
“This is the reason why the government has come up with new districts, mandals, revenue divisions, and panchayats,” he said, adding that the Centre and other State governments are emulating the Telangana model of development. The Minister said about 43 per cent of population in Telangana lives in towns and
cities.
The Minister he said that the urban population will only increase in the next five years and for them this initiative will be of great use. Asking the citizens and the real estate sectors to utilise the TS-bPASS services, he said that based on the feedback, new amendments would be made to the initiative.
The Minister revealed that the government will come up with a new Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Act in January or February next year, which will have tougher provisions incorporated against encroachment of lakes and nalas (storm water drains).
The new legislation will deal strictly with unauthorised encroachments that have come up on the full tank level (FTL) and buffer zones of water bodies and nalas. “All such structures would be razed even without issuing any notices. The government will also take opinion of legal experts before bringing in the new Act,” he said.
Telangana model
Minister Rama Rao said that the reforms are being ushered in to ensure decentralisation of administrative power. The Centre and other States are emulating the Telangana model of development.
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