Dangerous buildings to be evacuated amid monsoon spell

KARACHI: The Karachi administration decided to evacuate 40 extremely dangerous buildings and remove billboards amid a monsoon spell in the city, ARY News reported.

Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi presided over a meeting to review the arrangements for the evacuation of dangerous and dilapidated buildings in the city.

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) officials briefed the meeting that most of the dilapidated and dangerous buildings are situated in District South. They said that there are 450 dangerous buildings in the district.

The SBCA officials said that notices have been served for the evacuation of all dangerous buildings.

The meeting presented a list of extremely dangerous and dilapidated buildings, stating that 40 buildings are in extremely dangerous conditions and needed to get evacuated on priority basis.

It was decided in the meeting that Deputy Commissioner South Altaf Sario would hold a meeting with the K-Electric and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGD) to get disconnected utility connections of those 40 buildings.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Government ordered the removal of dangerous billboards in Karachi. After the approval of the Chief Secretary of Sindh, a letter has been sent to the Divisional Commissioner and Secretary of Local Government regarding the actions to be taken.

“The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted heavy monsoon rains in the province, and the letter states that these billboards can become a danger to human life due to strong winds and rain,” the letter read.

The Sindh government directed that these billboards should be removed immediately, citing the order of the Supreme Court.