Sanirman: Using technology to monitor the progress of the works department

Summary

The Sanirman application has been conceptualized to expedite the construction work happening across the district under the domain of various departments. The application creates an institutional mechanism to deal with the work proposals originating from various departments, tracks the movement of file to expedite the process of Technical Sanction (TS), Administrative Sanction (AS), scheduling, as well as the progress of the project, and reports necessary parameters to relevant authorities.

The automation of various processes, standardization of documents, and timely tracking of proposals is meant to improve the execution of various construction projects. By involving all the stakeholders at various stages, the decision making is decentralized while simultaneously making the concerned stakeholders accountable for the deliverables. The application helps provide a bird's eye view of the construction work, which helps the concerned authorities better monitor the progress, identify the bottlenecks, & devise rectification strategies.

The application also creates a mechanism to bring in data-driven decision making. The operators are trained in data analysis, and are able to gather actionable, intelligent reports for the perusal of the CEO.

Requirements Analysis

In order to assess the status of various construction projects occurring across the district, the CEO-ZP held consultation with various line departments dealing with construction work. The meet saw participation from RES, PWD, WRD, CMGSY, Forest, Agriculture, Resham, Horticulture, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, etc. It was decided that there was a need to standardize the construction process, execute it in a time-bound fashion, and find the bottlenecks.

Based on these consultations, the contours of Sanirman application were finalised, which included the following:

• AS & TS Tool: The application can be used to give technical as well administrative sanction of construction works. Similarly, application shall be used to issue contract with construction agency and, subsequently, issuing the Work Order to the construction agency.
• SMS Tool: The application shall send out SMSs to Village head, Panchayat Secretary and/or to the construction agency about various stages of works from AS, releasing of fund to receiving of UC/CC.
• Measurement Monitoring Tool: Each construction work is comprised of 4-5 different stages, wherein the sub engineer is supposed to do a measurement of these different stages.
• File Movement Tool: This tool removes unnecessary delays in various processes of any construction work.

Issues and their resolution

Initially, there was a lack of data analytics because of non-availability of standardized data, non-digitization of data. Sanirman helped in data analytics by standardizing data and making it digital. It also empowered the data-entry operators as they are able to generate intelligent reports, which has improved decision making, bottom-up, from the level of the operator.

Sanirman helped in generation of timely and accurate reports instantly, which was a cumbersome exercise initially.

Sanirman helped in tracking the grant of Technical Sanction (TS) and Administrative Sanction (AS), while status and causes of delay were difficult to ascertain earlier.

Initially, there was no mechanism to assess the veracity of field visit by an engineer, which was rectified by incorporating geo-tagging in Sanirman.

Initially, there was no mechanism to track the actual amount of work completed vis-a-vis the work completed on paper. The Sanirman application now allows for time-bound work completion, fixing of responsibility, geo-tagging etc. to assess the actual amount of work completed

Initially, there was no mechanism for the Chief Executive Officer at the Zila Panchayat and Janpads, to monitor the progress of various construction works comprehensively. The Sanirman application provides a block-wise, scheme-wise and department-wise breakup of all the ongoing construction works, which enables better monitoring.

Change Management

• Regular consultation: This is held with all the line departments dealing with construction work.
• Standardization Focus: Before assessing the status of construction work, it was important to standardize data collection across different departments.
• Focus on outcome, not tech: A number of different technologies were used to ensure that the outcome is achieved. Sanirman works on a web portal as well as mobile app.
• Geo-tagging: To ascertain the status of construction project by ensuring that the site is visited by the field engineer.
• Quality focus: By standardizing the construction process, material, labour, and time-wise, it was ensured that a minimum uniform quality is delivered across the district.
• Timely completion: Emphasis is given on assigning time-bound targets for work completion.
• Fixing responsibility: By assigning responsibility at different levels, Sanirman helps improve quality and ensures timely completion.
• Automation: Sanirman generates automatic reports and notifies concerned authorities about delays.
• Training: All the operators were trained in basic data analysis, besides operating the Sanirman application, so as to improve the monitoring process.

Features

• Sustainability : The Sanirman application digitizes the records and brings in efficiency, which reduces costs and provides sustainability.
• Scalability : The application can be easily scaled across different departments dealing with construction work.
• Cost Effectiveness : The application is cost effective as it is applicable across all the line work departments. Digitization of records, automatic reports generation leading to data-driven decision making further improves the cost effectiveness.
• Replicability : The application can be easily replicated by other districts as the construction work is being handled by multiple departments, leading to weak oversight.
• Transparency : It infuses transparency by digitization of records, time-bound approvals, geo-tagging of field visits, and so on.
• Accountability : The application builds accountability by fixing time-bound targets, automatic generation of reports, ensuring field visits are being carried out by way of geo-tagging, and analytics.

Technology

The Sanirman application is leveraging the following technologies:

1. Cloud based Messaging system
2. Dynamic Time Tracker based on the project
3. Geo-Tagging
4. Web-based portal

Innovation

• Standardization of Formats and Process
• Auto assignment of Task to user with respective territory role
• Process Flow automation (Reader/Approval/Forwarder)
• Dynamic Time / Project Tracker based on the Project Building Guidelines
• Friendly and Simple interface for Data Gathering and Monitoring
• Alerts and In-App notification for reminders

Outcomes

The Sanirman application has resulted in the following benefits:

1. Better planning: This is because an accurate assessment of man, material, and finances can be made at the onset.
2. Timely completion: By assigning proper time frames at various levels, the nodal officers can assign responsibility at various levels, which leads to timely completion of targets.
3. Improvement in quality: The standardization of resources, automation, dynamic time tracking, geo tagging, data analytics has helped in improving quality across all the construction work in the district.
4. Uniformity of outcome: By focusing on timely completion of projects, better planning, and quality monitoring at various levels has led to a uniformity of outcome across the deliverables.
5. Standardization: Standardization of forms and processes has led to improved data collection, monitoring, and analysis.
6. Automation: Auto assignment of tasks with specifies time limits has enabled better focus on target completion.
7. Dynamic time tracker: This enables fixing of responsibility, and is able to reorient the targets as per changing ground situation.
8. Digitization: This has enabled permanency of records by way of a central database, allowed rapid recall of relevant data, and reduced paper usage.
9. Geo-tagging: This ensures that the field visits actually take place by the engineer.
10. Fixing responsibility: By way of its time tracking, auto assignment of responsibility, geo-tagging has helped fixing responsibility at different levels.
11. Dashboard: This allows the Chief Executive Officer to have a macro view of all the construction projects in the district. It also helps direct focus towards the bottlenecks, thereby, improving the overall outcome.

For More Information Click here

Source : NITI Aayog