No check on construction of illegal high-rise buildings by CBC

Author: By Abrar Hamza

KARACHI: The Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) is giving immunity to the construction of high rise buildings in Gabol Colony, Delhi Colony and Punjab Colony, which is against the rules.

Al-Rashid Foundation Pakistan, a local non-governmental organization (NGO), has urged the CBC to take notice of the construction of high rise buildings in its territory in the above mentioned colonies.

Chairman of the foundation Rashid Ali Khan has claimed that builders and developers are continuously violating the Cantonment Board’s rules and are easily getting permissions to construct high-rise buildings by giving millions of rupees to the CBC officials.

He said the infrastructure of these areas has been ruined due to this heavy construction on 120 square yards (sq yd) and 200 sq yd plots. ‘Under what rules and regulations such projects were being supplied power, gas and water connections by the concerned utilities besides awarding sub lease and sale deeds permissions,’ questioned Khan.

Khan added that several constructions were being made in contravention of layout plans and if action under prescribed rules of Board is taken, hundreds of such buildings would be razed to ground.

Rashid alleged that CBC’s officials are involved in this illegality by suggesting shortcuts to builders and developers. ‘Builders and developers take stay orders on such constructions and later set up their offices and then housing projects,’ reasoned Khan.

In order to get CBC’s official version, this scribe sent queries to the CEO of the board Muhammad Sajjad Ahmed Khan. However, the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the CBC Amir Arab Ali asked this scribe to contact CBC Land Branch in-Charge Muhammad Ejaz.

Interestingly, Muhamad Ejaz also refused to comment on the above practices of CBC ,saying that he is not authorized to comment on this as the matter, its out of his domain.

CBC is one of the posh localities of Karachi with huge infrastructure, shopping centers and recreational areas. It is spread over an area of 51.327 square kilometers with swelling population of 0.5 million at present.

CBC is comprised of I to VIII phases of DHA, Block 8 & 9 of KDA Scheme 5, Kachi Abadees declared as Bazaar Area i.e. Delhi Colony, Madniabad, Punjab Colony, Chandio Village, Bakhshan Village, Ch. Khaliq-uz-Zaman Colony, Pak Jumhoria Colony, Lower Gizri, Hazara Colony (Railway land), P&T Colony, MES Colony, Transit Camp, PNS Haider, PNS Shifa, and 494 FWO Engineering Group.