SBCA took action against 1,500 illegal constructions in 2024

KARACHI: The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has released its Annual Report for 2024, revealing that the authority took legal action against 1,500 illegal constructions, ARY News reported citing the official press release.

According to Shakeel Dogar, the SBCA spokesperson, shared that the authority took strong actions over the past year in line with the Sindh Government’s vision and under the guidance of Provincial Minister for Local Government, Saeed Ghani. These operations were carried out fairly and consistently across all districts in Sindh.

In 2024, the SBCA demolished or took legal action against over 1,500 illegal constructions across the province, including in all seven districts of Karachi. This represents the highest number of actions against illegal constructions in a single year. Many of these actions were based on court orders, and more than 200 legal petitions were successfully resolved.

Abdul Rasheed Solangi, Director General of SBCA, emphasised the Sindh Government’s strict policy against illegal buildings. Several officers involved in illegal activities were suspended, and investigations are still ongoing.

The SBCA also introduced a new feature to improve transparency – the installation of QR codes at construction sites, which allows people to access information about the projects’ legality.

In addition, the SBCA approved 2,652 building plans in 2024 for various projects, including residential, industrial, commercial, and public buildings. A new “single-window approval system” was launched, speeding up the approval process, and penalties for late industrial payments were waived to rebuild public trust in the authority.

The Technical Committee, made up of construction experts, also carried out surveys of dangerous or dilapidated buildings, identifying 743 such structures across Sindh, including 591 in Karachi. Inspections were also conducted for buildings affected by accidental fires in Karachi throughout the year.

The SBCA also made progress in resolving long-standing issues. For example, the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) process was finalized, leading to the promotion of 72 officers and staff members to higher grades. The department also revived its Hajj scheme, allowing 17 employees, including 7 officers and 10 staff members, to perform Hajj in 2024, with all expenses covered through a fair balloting process.

SBCA focused on public service improvements, including beautification projects. In collaboration with the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) and district authorities, the SBCA worked on beautifying buildings and streets along Shahrah-e-Faisal, which received great appreciation from residents. Following this success, a similar beautification project is now being planned for the Korangi Industrial Area, at the request of local community leaders.