City authorities to process building permits online

November 2, 2017 in U by Editor

November 2—Real estate developers will have to apply for construction permits from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) on online effective next year.

“Applying on online is the way to go if the Authority is to offer quality services. We have tested it in the transport sector where taxi operators now pay the Authority monthly dues on online using their mobile phones. It’s working very well. The next phase is to integrate it now into other sectors like construction,” Moses Kanuniira, the KCCA  Director of Physical Planning has said.

The  shift to online  is also meant to save KCCA clients time and money while also minimizing the loopholes for corruption.  Kanuniira said it will also help those in the Diaspora to have easier access to KCCA services.

KCCA recently launched eCitie, its electronic platform which is expected to increase efficiency in all revenue collecting streams.

Top officials at KCCA are confident with the success achieved with dealing with the informal sector online, the same will happen with the construction industry. Once the system is up and running, it will take only five days for an applicant to get a construction permit compared to the current two weeks.

“The system is being developed. Once the technical people test it, we shall see changes in the construction sector, because some developers have lost money through brokers when applying for permits which increases the costs of their projects,” Kanuniira said.

Applicants will have to submit supportive documents such as a copy of the land title, architectural designs and once the Authority receives these documents and scrutinizes them for authenticity, especially the land title, then it will commence processing the permit.

Kanuniira said, “Submitting the documents will help KCCA to assess how much the developers will pay, but also it will help to confirm that the submitted plans meet the Authority’s set standards. Then you can proceed to construction. All these developments are intended to make Kampala city a smart city.”