Utility services likely to be disconnected to vacate Karachi’s dilapidated buildings

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani has directed the authorities to vacate the 382 buildings declared dangerous for living from the civic authorities in the city.

He said this while chairing a meeting to implement apex court orders on dilapidated building and marriage halls in the city on Monday.

The commissioner warned that in case of any untoward incident, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) officials under whose nose, the dilapidated buildings were erected, will be responsible for the consequences.

Director Dangerous buildings briefed the commissioner, saying that there are 382 dangerous structures in the city including 303 of them in the district South, 14 in district East and 10 in district Central.

He told the meeting that notices have been served to the owners of the buildings but they are avoiding to implement the orders of the building control authority.

The decision to demolish the dangerous structures in the city has come in the backdrop of recent incidents in the city, where such building have caved-in causing fatalities and injuries in some cases.

The meeting discussed the idea to disconnect the utility connections of such structures. It was decided that all the concerned deputy commissioners would hold the meeting with the officials of utility organization to implement the plan.

The meeting also decided to take stern action against the marriage halls constructed on residential land in Korangi area of the city.

The commissioner was briefed that 45 marriage halls had been established illegally on residential plots in the area. It was decided to seal all such plots.