Raipur, the capital city of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, is taking a significant step towards bringing real estate records onto the blockchain with the help of AirChains, an India-based Zero-Knowledge (ZK) roll-up. This initiative aims to prevent forgery and reduce processing time from a month to just three days.
The Raipur Municipal Corporation, which issues over 8,000 building permits, work orders, and colony development permissions annually, decided to digitize its records by partnering with AirChains. Abinash Mishra, Commissioner of the Raipur Municipal Corporation, highlighted the challenges they faced in the past, such as document forgery. By collaborating with AirChains, they are exploring the digital documentation of essential services like birth, death, and marriage certificates through blockchain technology.
Ankur Rakhi Sinha, CEO of AirChains, mentioned that this project marks the first use case of Zero-Knowledge Fully Homomorphic Encryption (zk-FHE) in India. This advanced encryption technology allows for proving the validity of information without revealing additional details, ensuring data security and privacy. Sinha emphasized that all encryption keys are securely stored with the government body, maintaining data integrity.
Currently, the Raipur Municipal Corporation is in the process of encrypting old certificates, with around 100,000 certificates already on the blockchain. Once fully operational, every building permission will be associated with its own smart contract, enabling real-time updates and enhancing transparency in the process.
Mishra highlighted that the verification of building permission applications typically takes at least a month, involving multiple steps and communication channels. The goal is to streamline this process and reduce the processing time to just three days, facilitating quicker decision-making and improving overall efficiency.
By embracing blockchain technology and decentralization, the Raipur Municipal Corporation aims to set an example for other urban bodies to follow suit. Mishra believes that this initiative is just the beginning and anticipates widespread adoption of similar practices in the future.
In addition to working with the Raipur Municipal Corporation, AirChains has collaborated with other Indian state authorities on similar blockchain projects, showcasing the potential for blockchain technology to revolutionize administrative processes and enhance data security across various sectors.
Overall, the implementation of blockchain technology in real estate records in Raipur represents a significant step towards modernizing administrative procedures, enhancing data security, and reducing processing time. This initiative sets a precedent for other cities and organizations to leverage blockchain technology for improved efficiency and transparency in their operations.