SBCA seals four-storey building in Karachi as cracks appear

Area locals claim 20-year-old structure weakened, tilted due to construction on adjacent plot

KARACHI:

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) evacuated and sealed a four-storey residential building in Liquatabad after cracks appeared in the structure and it tilted on Monday.

As the building began leaning to one side, its residents, comprising the families of five brothers who had bought the property six years ago, rushed out, fearing its collapse.

When informed, SBCA officials reached the spot, declared the building unsafe and evacuated it so that it could be demolished later.

Muhammad Adnan, one of the residents of the building, told The Express Tribune that the building, covering around 400 square feet, was over 20 years old. He said that each of its floors comprised an apartment and it was solely occupied by his and his brothers' families.

"One among us brothers, his wife and two children are hearing and speech-impaired and another two of my brothers have kidney disease," he said, adding that they his elder brother, Zameerud Din was to go for a dialysis on the day. "But when he knocked on my younger brother's door before leaving, it turned out that the door was jammed shut," related Adnan. "Hearing noises, when the rest of us tried to open the doors of our apartments, they too were jammed and when we forced them open, cracks appeared in the building and dust began clouding the rooms," he said.

Following this, the residents, afraid that the building might collapse, rushed out.

Later, the eldest of the brothers called an engineer who examined the structure and declared it insecure, according to Adnan.

Meanwhile, a neighbour informed police of the development on Madadgar-15 helpline and upon reaching the spot, police officials ensured that the residents of the affected building, as well as those of other buildings near it, vacated the structures, as a safety measure.

In the evening, SBCA official reached the site, examined and declared the building unsafe and sealed it, intending to raze the dilapidated building later. Other buildings in its immediate vicinity were also sealed.

According to area residents, construction on a vacant plot adjacent to the building had weakened it. They said that the plot, filled with garbage, remained unclaimed for the longest period until a builder, Kamal, claimed its ownership around 10 days ago and began construction on it, resulting in the weakening of building adjacent to it.

They went on to claim that Kamal, in collusion with the officials of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and registrar's office, got the plot transferred in his name on the basis of fake documents. They have demanded further probe into the matter and said that several buildings in Liaquatabad were at high risk of collapsing.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2020.