BUILDING permits for investment, residential, industrial and commercial purposes are being issued online within an average of two days as Bahrain continues to speed up its administrative procedures.

Municipal One Stop Shop head Najma Hassan revealed at the weekly Northern Municipal Council majlis at the council’s headquarters in Budaiya that it is a reduction from 2.2 days in May.

She added that the maximum time for issuing permits still stands at five days for the most complex of cases.

The Benayat Building Permit Portal allows applicants to obtain all necessary information to prepare drawings and documents required to apply for a building permit.

The system enables engineering offices licensed in Bahrain to apply, check on the status of applications, obtain consultations from government bodies concerned, pay fees, as well as apply for other related services.

It comes through an interactive map that provides key information for land parcels and by centralising all regulations and requirements concerned.

“We’re already keen on getting permits issued within a record time and, at the moment, we complete all assessments and reviews within an average of two days, which is a step up even from May this year,” said Ms Hassan.

“Investors, businessmen and the general public appear to be happy with the efforts we have been making.”

Talks are now progressing to allow remodelling, renovation and repair permissions to be issued through Benayat by the end of 2024, which will mean that all municipal services could be easily obtained online through one system, she added.

Ms Hassan said these initiatives and upgrades to the system have helped the country become more investor-friendly by offering user-friendly and more simplified processes.

“We have instant automated and direct contact responses and any problem, issue or setback can be dealt with instantaneously by a qualified team.”

Leading the debate at the majlis attended by scores of community societies’ representatives was council chairman Dr Sayed Shubbar Al Wedaie.

Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak said 504 building permits had been issued through the Benayat system between January and May 7.

The minister revealed that urban housing requests represented 75 per cent, totalling 380 permits out of those processed, and requests for special projects increased to 18pc or 94 permits. The number of investment buildings’ permits accounted for 4pc.

He added that Benayat had issued 1,565 permits in 2022.

 

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