Public health gets ‘one window’

After simplifying the procedure for applying for permissions to construct buildings, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), as a part of improving ‘ease of doing business’ process, has now decided to also start a ‘one-window’ system for giving permissions to 38 different trades related to the public health department.

Under this, the number of licences required to start new restaurants, lodging houses, permit rooms, beer bars, juice centres, medical shops, hair saloons, bakery shops, laundries etc. in the city have now been reduced to just 51. The numbers earlier stood at 72.

In addition to this, the no objection certificate (NoC) from the civic building and factories department and fire brigade were required to be presented to the health department for starting these trades. However, now only the NoC from the fire brigade would suffice, said civic officials.

According to them, various organisations like Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR), Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) and National Restaurants Association had demanded that licence system related to public health department should be simplified. Accordingly, the number of common terms and conditions has been brought down from 37 to 31, whereas special approvals have been reduced from 35 to 20.

“Earlier the licence was given in five phases from the ward office to the executive health officer level. Now, the entire process will be carried out only at the ward office. The licences will be issued by ward-level medical health officer and sanctioned by the ward officers,” said a senior civic official.

The application process has also been made simple and permissions are expected to be granted within a month, he added. All the applications will be made available on the municipal website www.mcgm.gov.in.

The BMC has already halved the number of permissions required for building constructions from 119 to 58 by implementing a ‘single-window’ system. The number of building construction permissions are down from 119 to 58. To save time, the licences will be given simultaneously. The developers can get permissions for internal sewerage system, water connections, electricity and other technical aspects approved from the private consultants. The occupation certificate (OC) and commencement certificate (CC) will also be given together.