Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA) of the Kingdom of Bahrain has enhanced its property freeze and unfreeze services as part of ongoing government efforts to improve and streamline service delivery through more efficient and digitalized processes.
The freeze service allows government entities to temporarily restrict a property or a group of properties that may be affected by ongoing development or urban planning projects. This measure ensures that any construction, modification, or transaction aligns with regulatory requirements and planning guidelines.
Meanwhile, the unfreeze service enables the removal of such restrictions in close coordination with the relevant authorities, providing property owners with the ability to resume construction, development, or other permitted activities in full compliance with approved land use and property classifications.
Under the upgraded and more streamlined system, processing times for property freeze requests have been significantly reduced from the previous 15 days to just four days, while unfreeze requests are now handled in nine days instead of the earlier 12.
Along with to faster processing, the system has simplified procedures by reducing the number of required documents and approvals by up to 50 percent, making the process more efficient, transparent, and convenient for property owners, investors, and government entities alike.
Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Khayyat, CEO of UPDA, emphasized that these significant improvements reflect the Authority’s commitment to adopting innovative digital solutions aimed at accelerating administrative procedures, enhancing operational efficiency, and improving overall service quality, thereby reducing both the time and effort required by government institutions and property owners alike.
UPDA has documented, translated, and published over 1,300 government services, with 800 re-engineered across sectors. These updates incorporate feedback from the National Suggestion and Complaints System (Tawasul), investors, and mystery shopper reports, supported by service guides and service level agreements.
The initiatives aim to boost efficiency, improve service quality, and enhance the citizen experience, advancing Bahrain’s digital government transformation.
