Rains in Karachi: Decision to evacuate residential buildings

KARACHI: To protect the residents of the Quaid-e-Azam city from the expected damage of monsoon rains, it has been decided to evacuate the city’s dilapidated buildings.

In this regard, an important meeting was held under the chairmanship of Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi in ​​which important decisions were taken to control the administrative situation during the monsoon.

It was decided in the meeting that the extremely dilapidated residential buildings of the city should be evacuated immediately.

On this occasion, SBCA officials briefed Commissioner Karachi regarding the dilapidated buildings.

According to the Building Control Authority, there are 584 dilapidated buildings in Karachi city, out of which 59 are extremely dilapidated buildings, including 29 historical buildings.

Orders were issued in the meeting that the Building Control Authority should immediately evacuate the dilapidated buildings. Commissioner Karachi directed the Sindh Buildings Control Authority to issue notices, and the notices should be advertised to inform the residents.

Hassan Naqvi said that priority measures are needed to ensure the lives of the residents. It was informed in the briefing that more than 90 percent of the dilapidated buildings are in the South District.

442 dilapidated buildings are in the South District, 73 dilapidated buildings are in the Central District, while 16 are in the East District and 18 in the Korangi District. In addition, there are 28 dilapidated buildings in Kemari District, 5 in Malir and 2 in the West District.

Commissioner Karachi directed that the Sindh Buildings Control Authority immediately provide the list of highly dilapidated buildings to the Deputy Commissioners.

The meeting also decided to demolish the dilapidated buildings depending on their nature and disconnect the gas, electricity and water connections of the dilapidated buildings if the notices are not implemented.