The city of Mumbai in India has launched an AI system that checks building plans for errors before architects submit them for municipal approval.
Called CivitTWIN, it examines drawings, forms and supporting documents for missing information, planning-rule violations and outstanding no-objection certificates. Applicants can correct the proposal before it enters the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s formal scrutiny process.
The system was launched at Mumbai Tech Week on 29 May 2026 by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide attended the launch.
BMC developed CivitTWIN with SoftTech Engineers, an Indian company that provides planning, approval and project-monitoring software for the architecture, engineering and construction sectors. The system is used before formal submission through BMC’s AutoDCR Single Window platform.
SoftTech said CivitTWIN is powered by Yavi, a multi-agent AI platform from US-based technology company NimbusNext.
Twelve AI agents check each proposal
Architects and applicants upload their plans and supporting documents to CivitTWIN before filing the application through AutoDCR.
The platform has 12 specialised AI agents working across creation, review and submission. They read information in documents and drawings, as well as city survey maps, GIS maps and historical data.
The agents can populate parts of an application, identify missing documents and point to entries that need correction. They also read drawings to detect departures from applicable rules, including zoning restrictions.
Applicants receive a preparedness score indicating whether the proposal is ready for submission. An AI-guided chatbot is available to assist them through the process.
SoftTech describes CivitTWIN as a “digital approval twin” because it simulates BMC’s scrutiny process before an application is filed. It does not issue the building permission. The proposal must still be formally submitted through AutoDCR.
BMC receives more than 8,000 building proposals annually
BMC receives over 8,000 building proposals for permission a year, of which more than four million sq m of built area is approved.
Preparing an application can involve more than 450 manually completed fields. A proposal may also pass through more than 25 departments for no-objection certificates, while over 60 documents require checking and validation.
Mumbai’s building rules add another layer of complexity. Bhide said the city has 27 additional floor space index regulations over its base regulation, along with overlapping spatial restrictions arising from railways, metro corridors, airport flight paths and coastal regulation zones.
An application may be submitted several times if documents are missing or the drawings do not comply with the relevant rules. CivitTWIN moves those checks to the period before formal filing, when the architect can still amend the application.
SoftTech expects fewer rejected applications
SoftTech said the system could improve data consistency in submissions by 70% and reduce application rejections by 60%.
The platform also provides 24-hour chatbot assistance and updates its preparedness score as the applicant corrects the proposal.
Mumbai has been automating its building permission process and developing a single-window system since 2015. Its AutoDCR platform already checks formally submitted building plans and allows applicants to track their progress online. CivitTWIN introduces an earlier check, allowing architects to find possible objections before filing the application.
