• Building authority’s additional DG accuses SBCA officials of ‘conniving’ with builders
• Citizens say only ‘superficial actions’ taken on their complaints
• Over 350 illegal structures ‘demolished’ in past three months, claims SBCA spokesperson

KARACHI: A recent campaign by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) against ‘illegal construction’ and its claim of razing more than 350 such structures across the city over the past three months have come under question from within the institution after some officials of its demolition wing were accused of ‘connivance’ with builders for their vested interest and ‘malpractices’ — an allegation, which is also widely accepted to be true by citizens who have experience in dealing with the building authority.

In a latest move, the authority’s additional director general while referring to one case of illegal construction in Central district, directly accused the demolition unit of ‘connivance’ with those involved in illegal construction.

In a recent letter, Additional Director General Samit Ali Khan has questioned the role of powerful demolition unit of the authority, accusing it of ‘connivance’ with those involved in illegal construction in the metropolis.

The letter was addressed to director-demolition unit Abdul Sajjad Khan and asked him to demolish all illegal structures in Karachi.

However, despite accusing the unit and its senior officer of connivance, the authorities didn’t take any action against anyone.

The letter referred to an illegal construction over a plot in Central district and cited the report of a building inspector, which suggested that the demolition operation was carried out ‘half-heartedly’ to allow reconstruction over the said plot after a gap of a few days.

“It was observed that the ground plus three upper floor structures were present on it. Some columns of the third floor were chiselled and one partition wall was removed. The rest of the walls and columns have not been demolished. The construction on the third floor has restarted which proves connivance of the officers who participated in the demolition operation,” it said.

The letter, many believe, reflects “true picture of modus operandi of the SBCA officers mainly associated with its demolition wing”.

Sources and some officials of the SBCA, who wished not to be named, said that it’s a common practice of those associated with the demolition department that in many cases they take “half-hearted” action against illegal construction only “to defuse pressure” or “make a better deal” with those who’re involved in the business of illegal construction and minting millions of rupees.

“If any complaint emerges from the community or they [SBCA officials] come to know about any illegal construction themselves, they respond immediately,” said an official privy to the ‘tactics’ of the officials.

“They will reach the site. They would first seal it to make an impression about an action. If they need to take action before any deal is reached, they would only demolish those areas which will not affect the whole structure or cost the builders much. They would demolish sidewalls or areas of entrance or exit. They won’t demolish columns or damage the foundation of the structure.”

In a recent incident, residents of a street in Federal B Area, Block-15, recently approached the SBCA with a complaint of an illegal construction underway in their neighbourhood.

A builder, the residents said, after buying a 120-sq-yard house in the area, completely razed the structure to the ground and then started building a multi-storey structure on the plot to make several residential portions.

“We approached the SBCA and one of the officials took notice,” said a resident of the same street. “The very next day a SBCA demolition team inspected the building. They stopped labourers and the contractor from further construction. Then the SBCA officials informed the neighbours that they have ‘taken’ the action and now there will be no further construction. The very next day, construction restarted and is still going on. It was all fake [action] and drama and God knows why they [SBCA officials] did this?”

It didn’t end here as the residents believe that those carrying out illegal constructions have strong connections with powerful individuals. The case of Federal B. Area Block-15 is no different. “We have heard that this construction is going on under the blessings of an MPA,” said another resident of the neighbourhood.

“We don’t know whether it’s true or not. But after such artificial action and fake exercise of the SBCA, we have started believing that someone very powerful is behind this illegal construction.”

Another such case emerges in Nazimabad No 3.

The area residents say that after their complaint, a half-built structure was ‘sealed’ but it took the builder only two days to resume the construction under his original plan.

The SBCA authorities, off and on, take notices of such practices of the officials, but nothing substantial has been seen on the ground against ‘delinquent officials’, who are often issued only notices for their alleged malpractices and connivance with the builders involved in the illegal constructions.

In South district, the SBCA authorities issued notices to two officials, again associated with the demolition unit, for allegedly “committing illegality” and being present on the site of a construction in Lyari when they were supposed to perform their duties at their office.

A report of a building inspector claimed that during his visit to one of the construction sites in Nawabad, the officials were not only there, but also questioned his presence and argued with him in favour of the construction activity.

Responding to Dawn, an SBCA spokesman said that the current demolition operation against illegal buildings was going on unabated.

“In Karachi alone, in the three months since the demolition operation began on March 22, a total of 357 illegal structures have been demolished,” the spokesman said.

According to data shared by the spokesman, in the Central district a total of 185 illegal buildings have been demolished, followed by 91 in East district, 55 in South, 18 in Korangi, seven in west and one illegal structure in Keamari district has been demolished.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2024