The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to introduce an advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-led facility to streamline real estate project approvals in Mumbai, a move expected to significantly enhance ease-of-doing business in the city’s property sector.The announcement was made by Ashwini Bhide, Municipal Commissioner, BMC, while addressing members at NAREDCO Maharashtra’s ‘Change of Guard’ ceremony. “The introduction of this AI-led facility marks a significant step towards streamlining processes and enhancing transparency in Mumbai’s real estate ecosystem. By leveraging technology, we aim to reduce approval timelines and improve overall efficiency for stakeholders,” said Smt. Bhide.According to the Commissioner, the proposed facility will integrate multiple civic approval systems into a unified digital platform, allowing developers, architects and consultants to submit and track applications in real time. AI tools will be deployed for document verification, compliance checks and predictive analysis, helping reduce approval timelines that have long been a challenge for the sector.The platform is also expected to strengthen accountability by reducing human intervention and standardising procedures. It will flag discrepancies, ensure adherence to development control regulations and provide actionable insights to both applicants and civic authorities.Ritu Tawde, Mayor of Mumbai, also addressed the gathering and highlighted the city’s ongoing efforts to improve approval mechanisms. “Mumbai is steadily transforming into a model city for ease - of -doing - business in real estate. Today, construction proposal approvals are streamlined within 45 days, driven by transparency and end-to-end digitisation,” she said, while also encouraging developers to support inclusive infrastructure such as dedicated women’s sanitation facilities.The event also marked the leadership transition at NAREDCO Maharashtra, where Kamlesh Thakur, Founder and Managing Director, Srishti Group, took charge as the new President, succeeding Prashant Sharma. Jay Goenka was announced as Secretary and Manan Shah as Treasurer.During the ceremony, NAREDCO Maharashtra also launched ‘NAREDCO ONE’, a digital app aimed at bringing developer-members onto a single platform for better coordination and information sharing.“The need for enhanced ease-of–doing-business, digitization of approvals and increased collaboration with government bodies is critical to accelerate the pace of the real estate industry,” said Kamlesh Thakur.BMC is currently in the final stages of infrastructure preparation and plans to roll out the AI-enabled facility in phases, along with user training and onboarding support. Once operational, the system is expected to set a benchmark for real estate approval processes in Mumbai and potentially serve as a model for other urban local bodies across India.