GURUGRAM: The department of town and country planning (DTCP) has decided to carry out checks of occupation certificates (OCs) by picking them randomly online to make the process more transparent. For this purpose, it has developed a software that has been integrated with the DTCP portal, officials said.
Till now, 10% of OCs granted to properties by architects under the self-certification scheme were checked at random by the planning wing of DTCP, but the selection was done manually. DTCP chief Amit Khatri recently directed officials to select these cases through a software to make the process transparent.
“The software was launched earlier this week. According to the DTCP chief’s directions, details of all occupation certificate files, including OC self-certification and plot address and area, are being entered in a single document. The full name of the architect who granted the OC is also being entered into the DTCP database. After this, the software selects one file out of every 10 and sends it to the portal of the district town planner (DTP), planning wing, of the area concerned,” DTP Rajesh Kaushik said.
DTP will then scrutinise the selected file, inspect the building and upload a detailed report along with photographs on the portal with comments to approve or reject the file. “The information about approval or rejection will then be sent to the architect and property owner through email. The final report will be available to all officials concerned, including headquarters,” he said.
Kaushik further said the use of the software will ensure transparency in issuing of OC and eliminate discrepancies.
On November 16, 2022, DTCP handed architects the power to issue OCs under the self-certification rules. After issuing OCs, architects have to submit the files to the DTP’s (planning) office.
Kaushik said, “According to the rules, 10% of the OC files submitted by architects can be randomly inspected by the department. If provisions have been made for future construction on any site after the OC has been granted, it is considered a violation of the norms. The architects should not issue OCs to such sites, as action will be taken against them if they do so.”
Architects, however have been demanding standard operating procedures (SOPs) to check the construction work carried out. “We are facing several problems during and after issuing OCs to residential properties. We have requested DTCP to fix seven working days as the maximum duration for the architects to be responsible for any residential properties which have been issued OCs by them,” a city-based architect said.
“Property owners often carry out additional construction after getting OC, but architects are held responsible for the violation. DTCP should check the building within seven days of issuing of OC,” he added.
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