M'sia, India Collaborate On Automation Of Building Plan Approval Process

By Zairina Zainudin KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and India have joined hands in a venture that will offer local government authorities a revolutionary technology transfer platform involving the automation of building planning approval process. This collaboration is through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Global Concerts Malaysia (Global Concerts (M) Sdn Bhd), a local management consulting company, and Indian-based Vinzas Solutions India Private Limited, a technology-consulting firm. The MoU will help in sharing of technology for document regulatory control system called Smart Development Control Regulation (DCR) to speed up and offer greater fluency through the automation of the building plan scrutiny and approval process, with respect to "dealing with construction permits." The Smart DCR was developed by Vinzas. "We believe this solution will help local government authorities to reduce the turn around time for construction permits approval substantially from the current 260 days as reported in the latest World Bank Doing Business Report," said Global Concerts (GC) Managing Director Devan Rajam. "Tried and tested, this system can generate approvals in between two and three hours as the computer enabled the necessary check 100 per cent. "The system will be customised to the country's needs and approval protocol," he said. Smart DCR is a unique system that is one of its kind in the world, he told Bernama in an interview recently. Malaysia will be the second country in the world to implement this system after India, he added. Meanwhile, GC Director Francis Xaviour Joe said: "We will work with the relevant local government agencies to extend and promote e-Government initiatives as envisioned under the government's Economic Transformation Programme. "The system will improve the convenience, efficiency and transparency of government services to the people and the business community." Meanwhile, Vinzas Director R Siva said the company is planning to expand the implementation of the Smart DCR system throughout the world, adding, "it will not only help the socio-economy of Malaysia and India, but other countries as well." Vinzas has appointed GC to customise the Smart DCR for Malaysia and to represent the company in the South East Asia region. -- BERNAMA