Building Control and Enforcement director says inquiry has already been launched
LAHORE
One can completely ignore implementing building bylaws while constructing high-rises in busy and commercial hubs of walled city as the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) is acting as a toothless tiger only staring at the construction mafia, which is busy tattering heritage of the provincial capital.
Recently, the authority carried out a survey regarding implementation of building bylaws and a team of senior officers visited over 85 sites which were constructed or under construction after approval of maps by the authority.
It is pertinent to mention here that only one under-construction building was found according to the map while grave violations were surfaced in rest of the constructions. Citizens questioned that what the authority’s building control and enforcement wings were doing and why they didn’t take legal action against violators in the beginning.
A senior WCLA official seeking anonymity claimed that corruption inside the authority and political influence were the two major reasons behind this situation. He said building control department was being run by a grade 9 official, who was given charge of a grade 14 seat. The issue was also reported before an official of WCLA but the said official is still at the seat, which clearly shows how much influential he is. Sources said recently a team of experts carried out a survey of over 85 buildings, out of which 45 were found having projected covered area in street one to three feet, 17 were having extra floors which were not in their approved maps, 11 were having unauthorised basements and 16 were constructed against the approved residential or commercial maps. Giving details, the building having address G-1152 situated inside Sheranwala Gate is in finishing stages. The building was approved as a residential building but it was constructed as a commercial building. Its façade design was also against the approved design and its covered area is 100 percent.
The building G-1185 situated inside Sheranwala Gate is in final stages of construction. Building plan is approved as a residential building but the owner has violated all the building regulations. The building F-2535/2536 situated in Koocha Rara Tailiyaan is approved as a commercial building. This building is two feet projected and owner did not follow the façade design as per the drawing.
The building F-2390 is situated inside Kashmiri Gate. The owner has violated all the building rules and constructed two illegal basements and one extra storey. Construction of this building is on its finishing stages. The building F-2908 situated inside Masti Gate was approved as a residential structure but it is being constructed as a commercial plaza. Major violations in this building are two basements and commercial construction. The building also has two extra floors which have structure stability issue. The building C-1802 situated inside Masti Gate is approved as a commercial building but the owner changed the map himself and constructed commercial structure on ground floor while residential structure on the above stories. The building is also two feet projected and its facade design is also not as per drawing.
The building F-497-498-499 situated inside Delhi Gate, allowed as a residential building but it was constructed as a commercial building. The owner violated all the rules and regulations and also constructed a basement which was not approved in the map. The building is still under construction. The building F-284 inside Delhi Gate approved as a residential building but was constructed as a commercial building. Owner has violated all building rules and the building is also projected about two feet six inches into the street. The building H-1334 inside Delhi Gate also violated all building rules, map is approved as residential but is being used for commercial activity while one illegal floor exists. The building also has seepage issues. The building H-1242-43 inside Delhi Gate violated all rules by changing the residential map into a commercial plaza. The building is also projected on every floor.
The building E-355 situated inside Shah Alam Gate. Owner violated building rules by constructing commercial building, whereas map was approved as residential. The building is projected with one illegal floor.
The building D-1681 situated inside Shah Alam Gate was approved as a residential building but was being constructed as a commercial plaza. It is also projected by one foot six inch into the street. The building D-1717 inside Shah Alam Gate was approved as a residential building but was constructed as a commercial building. The building is projected approximately two feet with one illegal floor.
The owner of building D-1640 violated rules by constructing commercial building as the approved residential map. The building is projected one foot six inch. The building D-2702 is inside Shah Alam Gate. Owner violated rules by constructing one illegal floor.
The building D-1860 is inside Shah Alam Gate. Owner violated rules by constructing commercial building whereas approved map was residential. The building H-528 is inside Delhi Gate. Owner projected building approximately 1’6” as well as by constructing one illegal floor.
The building H-632-33 is inside Delhi Gate. Owner constructed illegal floors and projected the building by two feet. The building SA/E-2 is inside Shah Alam Gate and construction of building is not as per drawing. The building D-2724 is projecting almost 1 foot 6 inch.
The building D-2303 is inside Lohari Gate. Owner constructed one illegal floor. The building D-3271 inside Lohari Gate is projected by one feet six inch. The building D-571 is inside Mori Gate and its construction is going on as per drawing excluding façade. The building D-199 is inside Mori Gate. Owner constructed one illegal floor and projected the building by approximately two feet. The building D-431 is inside Lohari Gate. Owner projected the building approximately 1’6”. The other buildings where various violations were reported include E-498 (Shah Alam Gate), F2210 (Inside Kashmiri Gate), F-2211 (Inside Kashmiri Gate), F-2235 (Inside Kashmiri Gate), F-2236 (Inside Kashmiri Gate), C-1010 (Inside Masti Gate), C -1174 (Inside Masti Gate), C-54 (Inside Masti Gate), C-717 (Inside Texali Gate), A-1195 (Inside Texali Gate), A-1195 (Inside Texali Gate), C-438 (Inside Texali Gate), A-1249/50 (Inside Texali Gate), A-1142 (Inside Texali Gate), C-1660 (Inside Bhatti Gate), A-795 (Inside Texali Gate), A-214 (Inside Texali Gate), A-947 (Inside Texali Gate), A-963 (Inside Texali Gate), B-261 (Inside Bhatti Gate), B-264 (Inside Bhatti Gate), B-1604 (Inside Mori Gate), B-1866 (Inside Mori Gate), A-1185 (Inside Texali Gate), G-1009 (Inside Sheranwala Gate), G-988 (Inside Sheranwala Gate), G-970 (Inside Sheranwala Gate), G-964 (Inside Sheranwala Gate), F-2945/20 (Inside Dehli Gate), F-504/A (Inside Delhi Gate) and F-822 (Inside Shah Alam Gate). When contacted Director Building Control and Enforcement Najamus Saqib, said that a thorough inquiry had already been launched into this issue and a secret inquiry against the official concerned had been carried out through an impartial officer. He said the report would be presented to the DG WCLA very soon. He said that the authority was planning to hit hard on the violators as well as all involved and a big crackdown would soon be started.
