Whose jurisdiction is it, anyway?
Sukkur Town Planning Department says Sukkur City TMA has no authority to approve building plans
SUKKUR:
The Sindh Building Control Authority’s Sukkur Town Planning Department says that the Sukkur City Taluka Municipal Administration (TMA) has no authority to approve building plans, as a number of commercial and residential complexes are being built with the latter’s approval.
During the months of June, July and August, the Sukkur Town Planning Department issued notices to 63 builders, who were served notices for constructing high-rise commercial and residential complexes in the city without having their plans approved by the department.
“So far, we have received replies from only 15 or 16 builders, who have advised us to seek the relevant records from Sukkur City TMA, which has approved their plans,” said Land Inspector Ali Anwar Kori.
“According to the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979/82, only the town planning department is empowered to approve building plans,” he added.
“It is our duty to check whether the commercial and residential complex has car parking space, a fire-fighting system, lifts in the case of high-rise buildings, a drainage system, water supply, proper ventilation and a standby generator among other facilities.”
Kori pointed out that builders are constructing buildings along main roads, which are hardly 30 feet wide and in case there is no car park, the occupants of such structures will park their vehicles on the roadside, resulting in traffic jams.
Town Planning Sukkur Assistant Director Moula Bux Baloch said that the TMA does not even have employees qualified to approve the plans.
“I am an architect and understand the dynamics of building planning, but the people at the TMA are not equipped for this job.”
Town Planning Hyderabad Director Tahir Ahmed told The Express Tribune that he has received reports about the matter from the Sukkur office. “We have forwarded the case to the department’s secretary, who will take up the matter and decide what action would be taken,” he said.
However, the Sukkur City TMA claims that it is authorised to approve building plans. “The TMA was empowered by the government to approve building plans,” said Sukkur City TMA Administrator Riaz Rajput. “Previously, only our taluka council was vested with such powers and now our infrastructure department has also been authorised to approve building plans,” he added.
“The builders should provide the records to the town planning department, but the latter can obtain them from our office as well.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2010.
The Sindh Building Control Authority’s Sukkur Town Planning Department says that the Sukkur City Taluka Municipal Administration (TMA) has no authority to approve building plans, as a number of commercial and residential complexes are being built with the latter’s approval.
During the months of June, July and August, the Sukkur Town Planning Department issued notices to 63 builders, who were served notices for constructing high-rise commercial and residential complexes in the city without having their plans approved by the department.
“So far, we have received replies from only 15 or 16 builders, who have advised us to seek the relevant records from Sukkur City TMA, which has approved their plans,” said Land Inspector Ali Anwar Kori.
“According to the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979/82, only the town planning department is empowered to approve building plans,” he added.
“It is our duty to check whether the commercial and residential complex has car parking space, a fire-fighting system, lifts in the case of high-rise buildings, a drainage system, water supply, proper ventilation and a standby generator among other facilities.”
Kori pointed out that builders are constructing buildings along main roads, which are hardly 30 feet wide and in case there is no car park, the occupants of such structures will park their vehicles on the roadside, resulting in traffic jams.
Town Planning Sukkur Assistant Director Moula Bux Baloch said that the TMA does not even have employees qualified to approve the plans.
“I am an architect and understand the dynamics of building planning, but the people at the TMA are not equipped for this job.”
Town Planning Hyderabad Director Tahir Ahmed told The Express Tribune that he has received reports about the matter from the Sukkur office. “We have forwarded the case to the department’s secretary, who will take up the matter and decide what action would be taken,” he said.
However, the Sukkur City TMA claims that it is authorised to approve building plans. “The TMA was empowered by the government to approve building plans,” said Sukkur City TMA Administrator Riaz Rajput. “Previously, only our taluka council was vested with such powers and now our infrastructure department has also been authorised to approve building plans,” he added.
“The builders should provide the records to the town planning department, but the latter can obtain them from our office as well.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2010.