Qatar's Ministry of Justice Streamlines Real Estate Registration with ArcGIS Technology

The Real Estate Registration Department of the Qatar Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is responsible for monitoring all real estate transactions and registrations within the country's borders. Qatar has a land area of 4,473 square miles and a population of approximately 2.8 million people, and MOJ staff are entrusted with the crucial task of precisely recording property ownership, leases, mortgages, and land exchanges. Moreover, the department is also responsible for the issuance of title deeds, which serve as legal evidence of ownership and safeguard property rights.

In 2021, the department turned to Mannai Trading Company WLL an Esri distributor in Qatar, to use Esri's ArcGIS technologies to build a lasting digital solution.

Historically, MOJ staff were responsible for completing key workflows using physical documents circulated between disconnected departments and systems. For example, employees involved in real estate registration transactions followed a process that involved multiple paper-based steps, beginning with the application being physically received, delivered to the head office, and eventually submitted to customer service centers of the Ministry of Justice. This manual process of record keeping for parcels was time-consuming and difficult to manage accurately.

The department also handled real estate transactions on paper, such as regulatory modification, parcel cancellation, mergers, and splits. This resulted in inefficiencies and poor decision-making. With no digital record, it was challenging to prove ownership. Staff needed a more comprehensive and effective method of digitization and data management.

The department sought the assistance of Mannai WLL to help digitize the department's system with ArcGIS technology. First, staff from both organizations researched user requirements and system specifications. From there, Mannai staff planned the architecture and functionality of the MOJ application. They then employed ArcGIS Enterprise, a complete software system that helps users manage, map, visualize, and analyze their data. The result was an all-in-one application for the MOJ.

The Reengineering & Upgrade of Property Registration System, also called REGIS, was launched as a single application that integrates with multiple systems to manage real estate registration and transactions. REGIS uses Esri products, such as ArcCatalog, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS API for JavaScript, and ArcGIS REST API, for spatial analysis, data visualization, and automation.

Now staff can exchange maps, files, and related geographic data using the ArcGIS Enterprise portal within the app. This eliminates the need for multiple systems. Additionally, REGIS enables users to register, process, update, store, search, and access real estate data. Furthermore, the application enables staff to design and produce ownership certificates. REGIS employs automated ArcGIS tools like ArcPy for things like geoprocessing, processing data, and scripts.

The REGIS app also played a crucial role in digitizing and archiving Qatar's cadastral heritage. This archive comprises close to 3,326 record sheets spread across 98 zones, providing a comprehensive understanding of Qatar's landownership history.

Replacing paper-based methods with REGIS eliminated lag time and resulted in a shared operating picture among all MOJ stakeholders. This change streamlined project management and increased overall department productivity, leading to reduced costs, improved efficiency, better communication, and enhanced collaboration.

Registrations that previously took days to process can now be completed in minutes, and bulk transactions for government purposes, which usually took a week for inspection and validation, can now be started and completed on the same day. One of the MOJ staff members praised the REGIS application because it "not only streamlines the transaction process but also facilitates decision-making, empowering section heads and directors to efficiently manage and monitor daily activities."

The MOJ received a Special Achievement in GIS Award from Esri at the 2021 Esri User Conference, garnering international recognition for the department's work on the REGIS project.

"It was a great honor for the team to be recognized. The recognition served as validation for the hard work and dedication that the department has put into the project," said Mohammed Jumah K AlKaabi, director of the information technology department of the Ministry of Justice. "The award has bolstered the team's confidence and reinforced their commitment to delivering high-quality results in the future."

The Ministry of Justice is actively seeking out alternative uses for the REGIS application. Furthermore, staff intend to introduce a system that uses GIS technology to consider multiple factors in determining land values. This will provide stakeholders, urban planners, and policymakers with more precise evaluations. By utilizing geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), this system will allow stakeholders to predict land value trends and test various scenarios.

"The introduction of the REGIS app has catalyzed a remarkable transformation, revolutionizing the realms of speed, precision, and overall efficacy for both internal users and the general public," continued AlKaabi.

REGIS has proved to be a reliable tool for the MOJ staff to fulfill department objectives. This has enabled the Real Estate Registration Department to remain a dependable resource for property owners, guaranteeing the transparency and legality of real estate transactions in the State of Qatar.