.jpg)
| |||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
By:
nation reporter | |||||||||
| Posted:
Dec,15-2016 08:54:01
| |||||||||
|
Investors in Kiambu no longer have to wait for long periods to get construction--related approvals following the computerisation of these services as the William Kabogo--led administration moves to reform the system.
Known as the Electronic Development Application Management System (e-DAMS), it is expected to increase efficiency and transparency since all construction--related applications will now be done electronically through a customised online portal.
Ms Eunice Kaloki, the executive member in charge of land and planning in the county, said the Web--based system, which was developed in partnership with the World Bank, will reduce approval time and enhance the planning and inspection of workflow.
Before the introduction of the system, it took months for an approval to go through, with documents sometimes disappearing, but with the system, it will take two to three days, with minimal chances of files getting lost.
With the system, Ms Kaloki said, architects and planners will submit building proposals for evaluation and approval online.
Payments will be made through an automated revenue-collection system, meaning it will not be necessary for applicants to visit the offices.
Ms Kaloki said the system will be used to issue development permits, profile ongoing developments for inspection, support planning enforcement as well as data collection on inspections and archiving.
"The system automatically manages workflow to allow applications to be routed concurrently to the various technical evaluators, so there will be no backlog of applications. The gate--keeping role of ensuring conformity with approved requirements will be easy since it will be at the click of a button," she said.
The system, which took nine months to develop, started became operational in November, although it was officially launched early this month.
The applications supported by the a Web-based management information system (software application include physical planning proposals, architectural building proposals, and associated civil and structural engineering designs.
Others include applications for change of use, sub--division, regularisation for change of use and sub--division, extension of lease and use applications.
Before its introduction, investors had been complaining about the delays in getting approvals for construction projects, with the unscrupulous among them seeking shortcuts, which sometimes led to the collapse of buildings and loss of lives.
The discarded manual system was tedious and had created opportunities for quacks, brokers and extortionists, who took advantage of desperate developers by pretending that they could help them get the approvals fast.
In May, Mr Kabogo stopped planning reinforcement officers from visiting construction sites following claims that they were demanding bribes from developers by threatening to stop or demolish their projects over approvals.
The well--organised cartel, he said, included individuals who were not county staff but were masquerading as authorised county officers.
They demanded amounts ranging from Sh5,000 up to Sh200,000 per visit, depending on the size of the project.
Mr Kabogo said with the new system, it will take only a fews days to approve applications for residential structures, and 30 days for commercial projects.
Meanwhile, Ms Kaloki said it will help get rid of the quacks and extortionists since it it is accessible only to registered professionals like physical planners, architects, and engineers.
"The only people who can access the system are professionals in the various fields because for them to be able to log into the portal, they have to use their registration number," she said.
| |||||||||
|
Source:
| |||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RSS