KARACHI - Builder mafia in Karachi is violating construction plans of the high-rises approved by Sindh Building Control Authority, TheNation has learnt.
According to details, the mafia continues to violate the SBCA laws, leaving the citizens with no other option but to wait for long time for the possession of their properties for which they had already paid heavy amounts. Various delaying tactics have been in practice on the part of building mafia, and the citizens find themselves in the lurch even after suffering years long wait in this regard.
There are scores of projects that have crossed their time limit as far as their completion is concerned, but the builder mafia, prone to use delaying tactics, has not even started its initial work yet. A large number of people, who had invested in the projects, are suffering an undue delay as the builders have left the construction work after collecting huge amounts in terms of down payments.
On the other side, there is hardly a project which has been constructed in the city in accordance with the SBCA laws as majority of the builders is constructing their projects against the approved building plans and making billion of rupees because of the violations. Most of the builders are constructing additional floors, shops, showrooms, paint houses and also getting extra space after the settlement with the SBCA officials.
According to the data gathered by TheNation, a project namely Ghori Castle has constructed fifth floor illegally, while the same builder also established a mezzanine illegally at it's another project namely Ghori Classic. Both projects are located in SBCA's NEW Karachi Town jurisdiction.
In the similar jurisdiction, the authority in 2009 had proposed a 3-year completion time for the construction of 10-floor Hani's Excellency. But the builder after collecting huge amount from the allottees has so far constructed only two floors even after a lapse of four years.
The builder of Mariam Residency situated in New Karachi Town had constructed a mezzanine and at least fifteen shops, despite the SBCA had approved its building plan as only flat site. It is worth mentioning here that the NOC of the building issued by the SBCA had gone missing from the record of the authority.
The authority had proposed a 3-year completion time in 2008 to a multi-story residential project namely Ali Residency in New Karachi area, but its builder, who had managed to collect handsome amount from the allottees as down payments, could not complete the building structure so far.
Flourish View’s Phase-I and II were supposed to be completed in 2012 as per the proposed time period by the SBCA, but its builder could only complete one phase of the project so far.
On condition of anonymity, a SBCA official told TheNation that hundreds of complaints have been submitted against various builders for not handing over the possession to the allottees. The complaints have been forwarded to the officers concerned including Director Zafar Ehsan, Deputy Director Anwar Hussain and Additional Director Adil Zahidi, but no action has been taken against the violators.
SCBA media coordinator Farhan Qaisar was contacted several times for comment but he was not available.