SBCA DG orders demolition of illegal buildings in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) Director General (DG) Abdul Rasheed Solangi, while talking to the media at the Civic Centre Hyderabad, has said that many illegal structures have been demolished in Karachi and similar action will be taken in Hyderabad as well.

The SBCA DG said the survey work of those buildings that needed immediate repair had been started in Sindh and he had been told that there were 751 such buildings in the province, most of which were in Karachi and only 34 buildings were dilapidated in Hyderabad.

He said that after the completion of the survey, details of the dilapidated buildings would be provided to the Sindh government. He added that he wanted to improve the credibility of the SBCA and all possible efforts would be made to remove encroachments across Sindh.

He asserted that action against encroachments would continue without taking any kind of pressure. Solangi said efforts would be made to convince private builders to ensure that they completed their projects on time.

He said the SBCA was establishing one window operation in the institution for the redress of complaints and apart from that, the attendance of the employees would be ensured by introducing a biometric system in the authority.

He stressed the need for working with good intentions and expressed the hope that the authority would be cleansed of all kinds of corruption. Responding to a question related to firefighting and safe exits in various plazas and buildings, the SBCA DG said he would take a detailed briefing on the issue.

In response to a question regarding 50 buildings constructed inside the bed of the Indus River, Solangi said the SBCA had issued an order and instructed the officers to conduct a survey and submit a report.

He said he would be visiting different cities of Sindh, including Hyderabad, time and again to ensure the resolution of the public complaints. Earlier, the SBCA DG presided a meeting to decide actions against illegal constructions in Hyderabad.

The SBCA regional director Hyderabad and other officers from the city attended the meeting in which Solangi emphasised the authority's commitment to crack down on illegal constructions.

He said that in the past month alone, 35 buildings, including petrol pumps, rice mills and wedding halls, had been sealed in Hyderabad. He instructed the regional director to establish a one-window facility for the convenience of the public and introduce an online complaint management system in Hyderabad.

Furthermore, he stated that strict action would be taken against officials involved in illegal constructions, and no leniency would be tolerated. He directed the Hyderabad regional director to activate the vigilance committee and ensure timely demolition of illegal constructions in the city.

Solangi called a report on the existing illegal constructions in Hyderabad within 15 days. Additionally, he urged the people to lodge complaints against illegal constructions stating that a complaint cell would be set up at the regional director's office.