K-Smart not so smart; Applying for building permits onerous

Thodupuzha: Embroiled in the K-Smart project, several people are forced to pause their dream of constructing a house. The K-Smart, launched with an aim to bring all services, including issuing building permits, of the three-tier local self-government institutions on a unified digital platform, is not working properly giving a hard time to those wishing to build a house.

Rather than submitting applications directly, they must be uploaded into the software through recognised licensees. K-Smart licenses for this purpose are currently limited, and those who possess licenses are encountering difficulties in uploading applicant details and information related to construction.

The Information Kerala Mission is in charge of K-Smart. When reaching out to the mission to report glitches, the response is an assurance that the issues will be resolved soon. Unfortunately, these problems continue to persist for the last two months. As a result, the public are now running from pillar to post to submit the applications.

Upon contacting the K-Smart Office, the officials concerned suggest resorting to the old software ‘Sanketham’ if they encounter difficulties with the new one. However, the municipality and the corporation are not accepting applications submitted through the old software.

The licensees, on the other hand, are collecting huge amounts as fees to file the application through K-Smart. Besides the high permit fees, a great amount of money is needed for the submission of applications as well. As there is no provision for direct submission of applications, chances of exploitation by the recognised licensees are high.