The Civil Engineering Department (CED) of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) launched ePermit, an innovative application that provides online access to Engineering Consultants to the Building Permit process at a grand ceremony held at the Emirates Tower Hotel in Dubai. ePermit enables engineering consultants to apply for and obtain Building Permit for any development project within the various business units under the purview of the Department, via the Internet.
Engineering consultants intending to obtain a building permit from CED need to register online by logging on to the website http://ced.dubaitrade.ae, and then submit details of their development projects as well as the application for Building Permit for the Department’s review. Following a comprehensive assessment of the received applications by engineers at CED and the Environment, Health and Safety and Fire Protection Departments, applicants are sent feedbacks from the various engineers involved in the review process for any clarification, objection or compliance requirements regarding the relevant engineering standards and Construction Regulations. This internal review is performed over a workflow engine. CED have already started accepting documents on a CD, reviewing documents electronically and returning CD’s back to the consultants from the First of May, 2005, in their drive towards a paperless office.
Consultants can track the progress of the application and the review process anytime via the ePermit portal, making the process transparent and user-friendly.
“The basic objective of automating the entire Building Permit-related process is to avoid delays due to lack of information regarding procedures, mislaid documents and communication errors. Moreover, it will enable consultants to monitor the status of their applications from the comfort of their office, thereby reducing the number of trips they need to make to the Civil Engineering Department at Jebel Ali,” said Nazek Al Sabbagh, Head of Civil Engineering Department. “ePermit has been launched in compliance with the e-government initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Defence Minister and Dubai Crown Prince, whose vision has been driving the rapid growth of Dubai. By moving the entire Building Permit-related process online, ePermit allows engineering consultants to register themselves and conduct day-to-day transactions with CED online. This is only a first step and we will be offering more processes online in a phased manner”
“As Dubai continues its steady rise towards becoming one of the leading international cities, it has become essential that the city’s government departments reflect this growth by easing processes and providing advanced and user-friendly services to customers. Dubai has one of the most bustling property markets in the world, with the city now in the midst of an unprecedented boom in construction activity. This has resulted in a flood of Building Permit applications, which made it necessary for CED to move towards a more efficient platform to support and expedite permit-related processes. We are glad that we have been able to provide an advanced online channel to Building Permit applicants through our ePermit portal,” Al Sabbagh added. She thanked H.E. Sultan Bin Sulayem, Chairman, PCFC for his continued support and guidance. She also thanked the heads of various business units and heads of internal departments for providing their valuable suggestions and their support in making this happen.
The ePermit portal provides useful links to Civil Engineering Department construction regulations, submission requirements, location maps of various departments, contact numbers as well as a FAQ section.
“The Civil Engineering Department is focused on adopting the latest technology to service the needs of our clients better. We have been constantly automating our processes and upgrading our facilities to provide applicants with enhanced services that facilitate smoother interaction and faster transaction with the Department,” xx concluded.
