KARACHI, June 16: The Karachi Building Control Authority has formed two different committees aimed at bringing a qualitative improvement in buildings, besides ensuring durability and beautification of under-construction buildings.
Stating this at a news conference, KBCA chief Brig A S Nasir said that the performance of builders would be reviewed annually as part of "Builder's Rating" and good quality builders would be awarded for their performance ie reliability for fulfilment of terms and conditions with KBCA and tenants, quality construction, qualitative construction material and reduction in time of construction target.
Referring to the federal budget in which special attention had been given to acceleration of housing projects, he said that whereas process may be quantified, it should not suffer qualitative input.
About the steps taken by the KBCA for ensuring qualitative improvement, Brig Nasir said that with a view to determining the builder's rating, a committee, comprising professionals, has been set up for assisting the KBCA.
The committee will be headed by Firdaus Shamim Naqvi while its members include KBCA's Architect Qazi Mumtaz Iqbal, PEC's Farooquzzaman and the KBCA's Ashkar Dawar.
The committee that has come into force with immediate effect will hold its first meeting on July 1 for undertaking assessment of buildings on the basis of public complaints, carry out inspection and award marks to builders for their performance.
He said that since the construction industry did not have qualified licensed plumbers although the key to basic functions of construction is dependent upon expertise of plumbers, the KBCA has decided to initially conduct two vocational courses for the lot of existing plumbers for a period of 15 days each after which they will be given certificate.
In this regard, he said that the first course for plumbers will begin on July 15 and the KBCA's ODS, Engr. Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, will be the officer in charge of the courses for which syllabus may be acquired from government college of technology and Board of Technical Education, he said, adding the subsequent courses for plumbers will be organised by ABAD.
Besides, the Dadex-Eternit, plumbing experts, are being requested to assist in formulation syllabus and criteria of issuing licences to plumbers.
LIFTS: Brig Nasir said with a view to ensuing safe operation of lifts installed in highrise buildings, the KBCA has set up a committee of professional engineers for carrying out periodical inspection of lifts.
The committee has also been assigned the task of checking lifts of highrise buildings to ensure their smooth functioning, proper maintenance, safe operations keeping in view the user convenience.
In this regard, he pointed out that for future it has been made mandatory that all ground-plus-floor buildings must have 6x8 lifts and these must provide two lifts - one for passengers and other for cargo purpose.
He said the committee, comprising Engr Muhammed Arif (Controller), Engr Hamidullah Shaikh and Engr Farhan Qaiser (DCB), has been assigned the to give its recommendations concerning the lifts' quality/ manufacture.
Asked about the KBCA's survey relating non-provision of car parking in highrise buildings and shopping malls, he said the KBCA had taken action against those highrise buildings which had constructed shops/ offices in place of parking lots, such an action was, however, being hampered owing to political interferences.
Answering a question, he said wherever construction is being carried out, the appearance of site is required to be protected and its awful look must be fenced.
