KARACHI: The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has issued its Annual Performance Report for 2024.
According to SBCA spokesperson and Public Relations Officer Shakeel Dogar, the authority undertook extensive operations throughout Sindh over the past year to curb illegal constructions.
These actions were conducted under the vision of the Sindh government and the directives of Provincial Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani. Operations were carried out impartially and without interruption across all districts of Sindh.
As per details in 2024, over 1,500 illegal constructions were demolished or subjected to other legal actions across Sindh, including Karachi’s seven districts.
These efforts marked a record number of actions against illegal constructions within a single year. Many of these actions were carried out in compliance with court orders, while over 200 legal petitions were also resolved.
Director General SBCA, Abdul Rasheed Solangi, strictly adhered to the Sindh Government’s zero-tolerance policy against illegal constructions.
To maintain transparency, several officers and officials involved in illegal constructions were suspended, and investigations are ongoing in various cases. Furthermore, the authority has mandated the installation of QR codes at under-construction project sites to ensure legal transparency and provide detailed information about the projects.
During 2024, the SBCA approved 2,652 building plans, including private, public sale projects, housing schemes, industrial, commercial, and residential buildings. The authority introduced a single-window approval system, ensuring timely processing of plans and waiving penalties for delayed payments on industrial plans, which restored public trust in the authority.
The spokesperson further stated that the Technical Committee, comprising expert construction engineers, continued its survey of dangerous/ dilapidated buildings. Reports revealed that 743 such buildings were identified, including 591 in Karachi, 81 in Hyderabad, 60 in Sukkur, 7 in Mirpurkhas, and 4 in the Larkana region. The committee also conducted timely inspections and prepared reports for buildings affected by accidental fires in Karachi during 2024.
Moreover, the DG’s efforts led to resolving long-standing issues, such as the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) process for officers and staff from grades 14 to 18. Consequently, 72 officers and staff were promoted to higher grades. The previously suspended Hajj scheme was also revived, enabling 17 employees, including 7 officers and 10 staff, to perform Hajj in 2024 with full travel expenses covered through a transparent balloting process.
In its commitment to improving public service and enhancing the department’s image, SBCA focused on positive initiatives, including beautification projects.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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