Panaji: Since its introduction in 2020, the Building Plan Approval Management System (BPAMS) has processed 6,033 technical clearances and a mere 7 construction licenses through the online mode, according to data from the town and country planning (TCP) department. Despite the BPAMS being implemented to bring transparency and ease of doing business, the data suggests that the TCP department prefers to work offline.
Slow Adoption and Missed Deadlines
The department's data shows that the BPAMS was used to grant around three development permissions per day since August 3, 2020, and approximately one completion certificate every two days. The data also reveals that the department consistently missed its own deadlines while processing applications. While technical clearances and development permissions are supposed to be approved within 45 days, the average approval time was 54 days. In some cases, it took as long as 70 days to grant permissions. Similarly, for completion orders, which are meant to be issued in 15 days, the TCP department took between 38 and 55 days to process applications through the BPAMS.
Official Response
TCP chief town planner Vertika Dagur stated, “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.”
Citizen Experience
Panaji resident Indresh Advani submitted a file in November 2025 for permission to construct a single dwelling home on 600 square meters through the offline mode. He has been forced to make multiple visits to obtain the 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.
Recent Expansion and Industry Calls
Since January, the TCP department has extended the use of BPAMS from single dwelling homes to also include residential housing projects with up to four apartments. Architects and engineers argue that the BPAMS should be extended to larger residential and commercial projects as well. They believe this would enhance the ease of doing business, reduce paperwork, and eliminate corruption.
