By TC News Desk
Agartala, 10th November 2025: Residents under the Kailashahar Municipal Council are facing mounting frustration as their building plans remain stuck in limbo due to delays in approval. Despite submitting proposals for new constructions, many have yet to receive clearance, resulting in stalled development and a loss of government revenue.
The issue stems from a sudden shift in the approval process. Previously, building plans especially for existing structures were processed offline. However, since August 26, the state has mandated that all applications be submitted through a new online platform called Auto DCR, a third-party software system. The transition has exposed a critical gap: most local building planners lack training in using the new system, leading to widespread application bottlenecks.
Municipal officials say they have repeatedly urged the state government to organize training workshops for planners, but their requests have gone unanswered. The Auto DCR software, operated by an external vendor, was expected to include onboarding support for users—a responsibility the vendor has allegedly failed to fulfill.
The delay is particularly concerning in flood-prone areas of Kailashahar, where residents are eager to build two-storey homes for safety. The eastern wards, including regions near Durgapur, are most vulnerable. During the 2018 floods, a breached embankment submerged parts of the town, prompting many locals to seek elevated housing. Yet, without approvals, their plans remain stalled.
Allegations of corruption have further complicated the situation. Sources claim a local engineer is bypassing municipal planners and collaborating with a planner from Kumarghat—who is reportedly linked to the Auto DCR vendor—to secure approvals in exchange for hefty payments. This has raised concerns that local professionals are being deliberately excluded from the system.
When contacted, Assistant Engineer Subrata Deb explained, “The new Auto DCR system does not recognize the ‘existing’ category. Only new or renewal applications are being processed.” Chairperson Chapala Debroy added, “We held a meeting last Friday and decided to resolve 36 pending applications offline. However, I’m not fully briefed on the Auto DCR system. The Deputy Executive knows more, but he is not in office today.”
Since the rollout of Auto DCR across the state, citizens have encountered numerous hurdles. The Kailashahar Municipal Council has formally requested higher authorities to arrange training sessions for building planners, but no response has been received so far.
As administrative lapses and technical inexperience persist, residents remain trapped in bureaucratic gridlock. The government continues to lose valuable revenue, and urban development in Kailashahar remains stalled—buried under layers of unresolved paperwork.
