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The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) on Monday warned people against buying “illegal portions” – small sub-let apartments built within multi-storey townhouses originally intended for single-party possession — which continue to crop up in Karachi.
The authority has announced action against 10 such buildings in Jamshed Town, where builders have constructed various such apartments in the Amil Colony area. The builders had taken approval for two or three-bedroom houses to be built over that land but ended up building four or six individual apartments instead, which is a gross violation of SBCA laws.
The illegally built apartments are being sold for millions of rupees to unsuspecting citizens and now the SBCA has warned that these structures would be razed to the ground.
The presence of these structures was highlighted by SAMAA TV on Sunday and soon after, the authority announced that action will be taken against these builders.
SBCA spokesman Farhan Qaiser said that the authority is grateful that the illegal constructions were brought to light by the TV channel and that people should be wary of such structures and not buy apartments or ‘portions’ in any such buildings.
In its report, SAMAA TV pointed out that these buildings are already unsanctioned, and also built with poor construction material. Building designs are also often faulty and could cause loss of life in the event of an earthquake or similar natural disaster.
On the other hand, the Association of Builders and Developers (Abad) has said that action against these buildings and difficulty in gaining approval for proper apartment structures would lead to even more illegal structures being built in slums.
