E-excavation permit

Every construction site on the public domain is subject to an excavation permit, a procedure that draws upon many administrative departments: underground networks (drinking water, sanitation and electricity), police, roads, and land registers. Faced with an increase in excavation requests on its territory, Pully wanted to optimize the procedure for issuing permits. Through intermunicipal collaboration, software was developed to digitize and simplify the process. As of 2015, it is possible to apply online.

The excavation permit is an authorization issued to companies or private individuals to carry out a construction project on the public domain. In the past, the resident had to go to the civil service counter to fill out a paper form, which was then transcribed in the system. There followed various exchanges between departments before the permit was finally handed over. This time-consuming procedure needed to be optimized and, in 2013, the development of an “e-excavation permit” began.

Today, the company or citizen wishing to perform the work can apply online. The e-excavation permit incorporates the entire process, from filing the application to issuing the authorization. The information is recorded in the City’s databases and sent directly to the competent entities. Thus, the mapping offices are no longer simple tools for disseminating information from the Civil Service to the citizen; each can contribute by entering data into the system.

The e-excavation permit has greatly improved the quality of the administrative service: the increase in requests has been absorbed, without the hiring additional workers. The staff responsible for the procedures can thus focus on more rewarding aspects of their work, such as piloting or advising residents, since repetitive tasks are now handled digitally.