KARACHI: Unauthorized construction at Hindu Gymkhana
By Bhagwandas
KARACHI, Feb 3: Some construction activities are being carried out by a private party without government approval within the vicinity of the Hindu Gymkhana
, which is a government-owned property protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Protection) Act, it is learnt.
According to sources, the Sindh Culture Department had planned establishment of a Folk Arts Museum at the gymkhana. However, the building was later handed over to a private party under the terms and conditions to be finalized 'soon'.
They pointed out that the unauthorized construction activities, that included raising of some bathrooms, a kitchen, a separation wall and fixing of a plaque, were going on for more than a month and expected to continue for another few weeks.
A signboard inscribed with words 'National Academy of Performing Arts' (Napa) has also been affixed on the façade of the gymkhana which hides the building's original name 'Seth Ramgopal Govardhandas Mohatta Hindu Gymkhana' engraved on the building's front entrance.
The sources said that no one was authorized to carryout any construction, repairs, renovation, etc., on a property protected under the Act. In case such an activity is required to be carried out, a prior permission has to be obtained from the Advisory Committee on Cultural Affairs.
It is also mentioned in the Act that an approval for the building plan or permission from KBCA is also mandatory before undertaking any construction activity on such properties.
For the construction at the gymkhana, no such approval has been obtained from the two authorites. The sources revealed that the KBCA had issued a notice ordering a halt to the construction, but the notice was withdrawn the very next day.
Responding to Dawn's queries, Additional Chief Secretary (Culture) S. Anwar Haider said that the gymkhana had been handed over to Napa some time back temporarily on rent and a summary, regarding the duration of tenancy, rent amount and other terms and conditions, had been moved.
A detailed agreement duly approved would be available soon, he added. In reply to a question regarding the unauthorized construction and the KBCA notice, Mr Haider said that he had visited the gymkhana a day earlier and noticed that some old kutcha bathrooms were being repaired/reconstructed and some other minor work was being done. He said that KBCA had issued no notice in this regard.
On his part, Zia Mohyeddin, chief of Napa, told Dawn that he had acquired the Hindu Gymkhana building in November and the formalities relating to tenancy period/rent amount etc. were in the process of finalization.
He said that the building had been in a bad shape when handed over to Napa and he was making efforts to restore beauty of this building so that its old grandeur could be made more attractive to people.
