Sharjah: Residents in Sharjah can now obtain permits for condolence tents in less than three minutes under two new digital services launched by the Sharjah Civil Defence Authority in collaboration with the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA).
The services also automate procedures for restoring electricity to homes and other properties damaged by fires, allowing applications and documents to be exchanged directly between the two authorities without requiring residents to visit government offices in person.
The initiative is designed to reduce paperwork and processing time while taking into account the difficult circumstances faced by families arranging condolence tents and residents and business owners recovering from fire incidents.
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Under the new system, applications for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to set up a condolence tent can be submitted through the Sharjah Digital application or the Sharjah Civil Defence Authority’s digital platform. Once the certificate is issued, the application details are automatically transferred to SEWA to initiate the procedures for connecting electricity to the tent.
Applicants no longer need to submit a separate application to SEWA or carry documents between the two authorities.
Major General Yousif Obaid Harmoul Al Shamsi, Director-General of the Sharjah Civil Defence Authority, said the services were developed to make government procedures more responsive to people’s needs, particularly during difficult circumstances.
“Effective government services begin with understanding people’s circumstances and what they need, especially at times when their burdens are compounded,” he said.
He said the authority had sought to make its procedures more considerate of families during periods of mourning and more responsive to the needs of those affected by fires.
“Our responsibility towards the community extends to supporting people as they overcome the consequences of incidents and helping them resume their daily lives, while maintaining all prevention and safety requirements,” he added.
Electricity restoration after fires
The second service automates the issuance and transfer of NOCs required to restore electricity to homes and establishments affected by fires.
Under the new process, certificate details and application information are sent electronically to SEWA, which can then proceed with the necessary steps to reconnect the electricity supply in accordance with approved technical and safety requirements.
Residents and property owners no longer need to visit the offices of both authorities to submit documents or follow up on the transfer of applications.
The authority confirmed that applications to restore electricity to residential homes are exempt from fees, in consideration of the humanitarian circumstances of people affected by fires.
The service is intended to help affected families regain access to essential services and enable residents and business owners to return to their normal routines and operations as soon as the required safety conditions are met.
Direct coordination between authorities
Al Shamsi said the integration with SEWA demonstrated how cooperation between government entities could make services more efficient and accessible.
“The integration of our services with those of the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority represents a practical example of joint government action,” he said.
He added that automated data exchange and coordinated procedures would reduce the time and effort required from customers while making services clearer and easier to access.
The authority is also reviewing customer journeys to eliminate repetitive steps, reduce the need to submit the same information and documents more than once, and remove unnecessary visits to government offices.
For families arranging condolence tents, the process is intended to be particularly straightforward: applicants submit their requests electronically, after which the two authorities coordinate directly to complete the relevant procedures.
For people recovering from fires, the automated process is designed to reduce administrative burdens at a time when families and business owners may already be dealing with significant disruption.
The Sharjah Civil Defence Authority said the two services form part of its broader efforts to redesign public services around customer needs and strengthen integration with government partners.
The authority will continue to use digital solutions to improve service delivery, combining faster processing with consideration for residents’ circumstances, while supporting safety standards and quality of life across Sharjah.