Manama: As part of government efforts to enhance service quality and re-engineer procedures, the Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA) has developed a new Property Merging Service. This innovative service allows for the merging of adjacent properties with the same zoning classification, according to approved zoning maps, provided that all properties are owned by the same individual.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the new service significantly reduces the service completion period from 12 days to just four. It also decreases the number of approvals required, thereby simplifying procedures and improving the customer experience. Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Khayyat, CEO of UPDA, stated that the service is a reflection of the authority's adoption of digital solutions aimed at enhancing procedural efficiency and speeding up transaction completion. He emphasized that this initiative aligns with digital transformation objectives and enhances service quality.
Al Khayyat further explained that the launch of the service demonstrates UPDA's commitment to developing its offerings to save time and effort for institutions while enhancing the effectiveness of the work system. In line with ongoing government efforts to re-engineer services, over 1,300 government services have been documented, translated, and published, with 800 of these undergoing development and re-engineering across various sectors.
These improvements have been informed by feedback from the National Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul), investor input, and secret shopper reports. Additionally, the launch of guidance manuals and service level agreements has contributed to raising procedural efficiency, improving service quality, and enhancing the beneficiary experience, all of which support government digital transformation efforts.