DG SBCA directs action against dangerous and illegal buildings in Sindh

KARACHI: On the directives of Provincial Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Director General Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) Muzamil Hussain Halepoto has instructed all officers to take immediate and strict action against dangerous buildings as well as illegal and unauthorized constructions across Sindh.

He emphasized that the protection of precious human lives is the top priority and that no negligence will be tolerated in this regard.

In his directives, the Director General instructed all Building Inspectors, Senior Building Inspectors, Assistant Directors, and Deputy Directors to personally visit their respective jurisdictions and conduct inspections of both dangerous structures and unauthorized construction activities. He made it clear that illegal construction must be stopped on the spot and demolished immediately, while dangerous buildings identified during inspections must be reported to the Technical Committee on Dangerous Buildings (TCDB) for urgent action.

According to the latest SBCA report, a total of 540 buildings in Karachi have been declared dangerous. Among these, District South accounts for the highest number with 407 buildings, followed by 70 in central, 24 in Keamari, 14 in East, 18 in Korangi, 5 in Malir and 2 in District West. Several of these buildings have already been vacated and sealed, while the process of vacating and sealing more buildings is continuing with the assistance of district administration.

The Director General underlined that this drive will continue without interruption and will also move towards the demolition phase once all dangerous buildings have been vacated.

To ensure strict monitoring and accountability, DG SBCA has directed that every field officer must maintain a field book, countersigned by their senior officers, and submit a written undertaking that no unauthorized construction is taking place in their areas. These field books and undertakings must be submitted to the concerned Director for record-keeping. Furthermore, on the 15th working day of each month, all field officers are required to submit comprehensive reports covering inspections, demolitions, complaints, court cases, and building plan matters.

These reports will be forwarded to the Director General SBCA through the concerned Additional Director General and subsequently reviewed by the Vigilance Directorate, which will verify them through site inspections and submit findings and recommendations.

The Director General has also ordered the IT Section of SBCA to maintain updated records of all dangerous buildings and demolished unauthorized constructions on a daily basis. Simultaneously, the Administration Section has been instructed to develop a grading system to measure the efficiency of each field officer, which will be reflected in their personal profiles.

Officers who fail to submit timely reports or are found guilty of negligence will face strict disciplinary action under the Efficiency and Discipline (E&D) regulations. Muzamil Hussain Halepoto stressed that strict action will be taken against any officer found negligent in carrying out these directives. He reiterated that daily monitoring of dangerous buildings, timely inspections, and immediate response to illegal constructions are essential responsibilities of SBCA officers and any lapse in this regard will not be tolerated.

Alongside these directives, the Director General also appealed to the citizens to cooperate with SBCA by reporting any dilapidated or structurally weak buildings as well as illegal construction activities in their neighbourhoods. He noted that public cooperation is crucial to prevent accidents and safeguard human lives. For this purpose, SBCA has established complaint facilities where citizens can provide information and lodge complaints. They may contact the authority through its dedicated helpline numbers 99232355 and 99230393 or register complaints online at the official website www.sbca.gos.pk.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025