Online plan approval system falters, TCP dept still leans on offline route

Panaji: Since 2020, when the Building Plan Approval Management System (BPAMS) was introduced, the town and country planning (TCP) department has processed 6,033 technical clearances and a mere 7 construction licences through the online mode.

Despite the BPAMS being brought in to bring transparency and ease of doing business, data suggests that the TCP department prefers to work offline.

The department’s data shows that the BPAMS was used to grant around three development permissions per day since Aug 3, 2020, and around 1 completion certificate every two days.

The department’s data also shows that it constantly missed its own deadlines while processing applications.

While technical clearances and development permissions are meant to be approved within 45 days, data shows that the average approval time was 54 days, though in some cases, it took as long as 70 days to grant permissions.

Similarly, while completion orders are meant to be issued in 15 days, the TCP department took between 38 and 55 days to process applications through the BPAMS.

“If something comes to our attention, we will look into it. Right now there are no plans to expand the BPAMS but in the future we may do it,” said TCP chief town planner Vertika Dagur.

Panaji resident Indresh Advani submitted a file in Nov 2025 for permission to construct a single dwelling home on 600sqm through the offline mode and has been forced to make multiple visits to get permissions required to start construction.

“The TCP department introduced the Goa BPAMS to simplify the construction of a single dwelling house using the digital platform to obtain approval. The automated system was to facilitate the submission of construction plans, so that clearances could be sped up and any room for corruption is eliminated,” Advani told TOI.

Since Jan, the TCP department has extended the use of BPAMS from single dwelling homes to also include residential housing projects up to four apartments.

Architects and engineers say that the BPAMS should be extended to larger residential projects and commercial projects too, as this would enhance the ease of doing business, reduce paperwork and eliminate corruption.