KARACHI: NED asked again to suspend illegal construction work
By Bhagwandas
KARACHI, Nov 16: The Karachi Building Control Authority has, for the second time, directed the NED University of Engineering and Technology to stop illegal construction work at its old campus building, which is protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act, it has reliably been learnt. The premier educational institution, however, continues to carry out the work despite repeated advice to stop it immediately from the authorities concerned.
The NED University had abandoned the old campus after the institution shifted to its newly-constructed 100-acre plus campus on University Road over 30 years ago. The building eventually fell into disrepair due to neglect and a few years ago the NED relocated its architecture department to the city campus.
Keeping in view the dilapidated condition of the historical building the NED approached various donors and in due course, with their financial assistance, started the restoration work — without obtaining the mandatory permissions and no objection certificate (NOC) from the culture department or the KBCA. The work is being carried out by the NED’s architecture department chief Nauman Ahmad and his deputy Anila Naeem under the overall supervision of the university’s Vice-Chancellor Abul Kalam.
A KBCA letter dated Nov 14, 2007, to the NED on the subject: “Addition/alteration work at old campus NED University in the city area without mandatory approval required under Regulation No: 15-3-1, KB&TPR-2002,” says:
“Please refer to the above letter regarding (the) subject noted above. You were requested to stop all sort of addition/alteration, renovation work being carried out at the old campus in the city area till the permission of (the) advisory committee (of the) Sindh cultural heritage department and subsequent approval of this authority in accordance to clause 15-03-1 of KB&TPR (Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations) 2002.
“You are once again advised to stop the renovation work forthwith after receiving hereof till the grant of permission by the authority concerned.”
Reason for reluctance
Responding to Dawn’s queries, a KBCA source said that all the three relevant officials — Chief Controller Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, Controller Agha Maqsood Abbas and Deputy Controller Abdul Rehman Ansari — were former students of the NED and that is why they are reluctant to take stern action and had not sealed the building, as would have been done if anyone else had been the violator.
According to sources, nobody, including the owner, could carry out any construction, repair or restoration work in a building protected under the heritage protection act, which prescribes long prison terms and heavy fines for violators. Permission or NOC is to be obtained from the advisory committee on cultural heritage, which is headed by the Sindh chief secretary, before carrying out any such work at a protected site. Permission is also to be obtained from the KBCA before carrying out any construction work in any building in the city.
Responding to Dawn’s queries earlier, Ms Naeem had said that the NED had all the NOCs and permissions from the relevant departments required to start the work. However, she did not show the NOC or the permission despite repeated requests. Later, she said that the NED did not want to give its version on the issue and might give information after a month or so.
Sources informed Dawn that the NED had in fact applied to the advisory committee for the NOC, but then, without waiting for the decision on its request to be taken or the NOC being granted, the NED started the work, which, without the mandatory NOC, is illegal.
Sources said that as Anila Naeem is also a member of the technical subcommittee of the advisory committee, she felt that she could take liberty and start the work without permission. Besides, the NED is also carrying out a survey of heritage buildings in the city for the culture department and the university also felt that the government would not take any action against it. The KBCA team visited the university and demanded to see the mandatory NOC and permissions, which were not shown, but the team was informed that these were available and the NED was requested to present these the next day. These were never presented. After many days when the required documents were not shown, the KBCA eventually directed the NED to stop illegal work immediately and present the required permissions and approvals.
