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By Prashanth Kumar Muddana
Telangana State has witnessed a remarkable digital transformation in urban governance. The state’s building permission process — once plagued by manual delays and bureaucratic hurdles — has now evolved into an intelligent, AI-powered approval ecosystem known as BuildNow Telangana. This transformation marks a major leap toward efficiency, transparency, and smart urban planning.
- The Manual Era — Before 2015
Before digitization, building and layout permissions were handled manually by local authorities such as GHMC, HMDA, DTCP, and various Municipalities and Gram Panchayats. Applicants had to submit physical files and visit multiple departments for No Objection Certificates (NOCs). This process was time-consuming, lacked transparency, and was prone to inconsistencies and corruption.
- The Early Digitization Phase — 2015 to 2019
Recognizing the need to modernize, Telangana introduced early online systems such as OBPMS (Online Building Permission Management System) by GHMC and ODPMS (Online Development Permission Management System) by HMDA. These allowed online submission and tracking of building applications but had limited integration and required manual scrutiny.
- TG-bPASS Scheme — Telangana’s First Unified Digital System (2020–2024)
In 2020, the Telangana Government launched TG-bPASS (Telangana State Building Permission Approval and Self-Certification System), a single-window platform for online approvals. It brought transparency, reduced human intervention, and provided instant approvals for small residential plots.
Key highlights in TG-bPass, Scheme include:
– Self-certification-based instant permissions
– Online submission and tracking
– Departmental integration for NOCs
– Citizen convenience and transparency
- BuildNow Telangana — The AI-Driven Smart Era (2024–Present)
With rapid urbanization and the exponential growth of building activity in Telangana, the Government recognized the need to enhance capacity, efficiency, and scalability in urban service delivery. In 2024, the State Government of Telangana introduced BuildNow Telangana, an advanced AI-powered building and layout approval platform replacing TG-bPASS. It integrates all departments under one system and uses artificial intelligence for faster, more accurate approvals.
This next-generation integrated platform serves as a single digital window for processing all types of building and layout permissions, offering contactless and self-certification-based approvals. It is designed to deliver services within stipulated timelines, ensuring transparency and accountability at every stage.
- Building a Smarter Telangana
BuildNow Telangana symbolizes the state’s evolution from manual file-based approvals to AI-enabled smart governance. Through this initiative, Telangana reinforces its commitment to efficiency, accountability, and innovation, ensuring that urban development keeps pace with the aspirations of its people and the momentum of its growth.
- Digital Governance and Citizen Empowerment
The vision behind BuildNow Telangana is to provide citizen-friendly, technology-driven services that are both transparent and efficient. The platform leverages advanced IT infrastructure, AI-powered automation, and real-time digital tracking to create a contactless approval process that minimizes human intervention and maximizes reliability.
By digitizing traditional workflows and enabling data-driven monitoring, BuildNow is helping to:
- Reduce delays and eliminate discretionary decision-making,
- Empower citizens through self-service digital applications, and
- Strengthen governance through integrated inter-departmental coordination.
- Collaboration and Future Vision
The MA&UD Department continues to collaborate with national and international institutions to introduce global best practices in urban management. By focusing on innovation and data-driven decision-making, Telangana aims to:
- Develop transparent, citizen-centric, and cost-effective services,
- Simplify complex approval processes through one-stop digital access, and
- Enhance ease of doing business to accelerate state-wide growth and infrastructure development.
- Key Features of AI-Driven Automation in BuildNow:
- AI-Powered Drawing Scrutiny — Automatically checks uploaded plans for compliance with building codes and zoning laws.
- Automated GIS Integration — Validates land use, boundaries, and site details using real-time maps.
- Predictive Approval Analytics — Forecasts approval timelines and identifies workflow bottlenecks.
- Smart Workflow Automation — Seamlessly routes files to relevant departments digitally.
- Transparency and Tracking — Citizens receive updates and digital copies of permissions instantly.
- Data-Driven Planning — Enables better urban planning using aggregated data insights.
- Timeline of Evolution
Before 2015 – Manual Local Systems: Physical files, multiple NOCs, and high delays
2015–2019 – OBPMS / ODPMS: Partial digitization, limited integration
2020 – TG-bPASS: Unified online approval and self-certification
2021–2023 – TG-bPASS: Enhancements including GIS integration, online payments, faster processing
2024–Present – BuildNow Telangana: AI-based scrutiny, unified digital platform
Conclusion
From manual file submissions to AI-driven automation, Telangana’s building permission journey showcases the power of innovation in governance. BuildNow Telangana represents a model of efficiency, transparency, and smart governance – transforming how citizens and developers interact with the government.