Want approval for projects the same day? Ask the Red Team

Officials from DEWA, DM, RTA and MRHE at the launch of TM, Tarish and Qafay, the 3 apps which will help speed up apprtovals for building projects. -Supplied photo

Dubai on Monday launched three smart initiatives that will help issue building permits and approvals from various departments on the same day and save Dh4.6billion a year.
The smart applications have been developed by the Red Team from the City Makers Race initiative announced by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, to spur the growth of Dubai as the smartest city in the world.
The Red Team consists of officials from four entities - the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), the Dubai Municipality (DM), the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment (MRHE).
Heads of these departments launched the inter-departmental applications. Named "TM, Tarish and Qafay", they aim to enhance work efficiency in the real estate and construction sectors of Dubai and increase the happiness and satisfaction of partners, stakeholders and customers.
Dewa's executive vice-president for customer services Abdullah Al Hajri, who heads the Red Team, told Khaleej Times the construction sector in Dubai is set to get a major fillip with the launch of the apps that will drastically cut down the time taken for building project approvals and NoCs.
"We are reducing the time for permits to start work on building projects from an average of 10 to 14 days to a few hours on the same day."
In the second phase in 2016, he said, the team hopes to make it instantaneous. "Then, NoCs and approvals will be provided in real time once the applications and documents are uploaded. It will speed up projects and will give updated information from all entities."
The applications also allow tracking of the projects and following up various stages.
"That clarity makes things more transparent for owners and will encourage contractors and consultants to work much faster," said Al Hajri.
In the second phase, the apps will also accept payment of fee to different departments.
"So far, we don't know any city that has such a system where government entities have open data that can be shared and give instantaneous NoCs. This is what cities dream of achieving."
He added that the apps will boost Dubai's progress towards hosting the World Expo 2020 and achieve the goals of the Dubai Plan 2021 and the Dubai Smart City initiative.
Laws and Regulations
Jassim Mohammed Hussain, senior housing consultant at the MRHE said the Tarish app will integrate and unify all the laws and regulations related to electricity and water services, construction approvals and NoCs.
"These laws and regulations will now be available on the app. They will all be unified and integrated in phase two of the project."
The app has eliminated 16 paper-based processes for the approvals. The Director of Geographic Information Systems Department at DM, Abdul Hakim Malik, said the Qafay app links and integrates consultants and contractors to the system and provides all necessary geographical information.
Phase one of this service will start with Al Barsha 2 community and is expected to be extended to the whole of Dubai by 2016.
"We expect to save 90 per cent of time, paper work and office visits in securing NoCs for construction projects. This will help make Dh4.6billion in yearly saving."
Yousuf Al Khazraji, who heads the TM initiative, said the app will allow users track the development of the project in various stages such as permitting, construction and service connection from different departments.
Consultants, and contractors welcome move.
"This will minimise the time consumed and the efforts to get construction permits. Integrating all processes and making them available online is great," said Omar Shakir Hussain of QHC Consultancy.
sajila@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Dubai