KARACHI, March 24: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has observed that illegal constructions in Karachi received encouragement when the city’s housing requirement was ignored in the past.

Such a situation had been ruining the construction industry, but it recorded an improvement during the last three years, he added.

He was speaking as chief guest at a ceremony held here on Friday for the inauguration of the ‘one-window facility’ at the Karachi Building Control Authority.

The governor said that the KBCA’s one-window facility for approval of small houses layout plan within 24 hours was a reflection of the city government’s commitment and seriousness viz-a-viz good governance.

He said that such serious steps would also help curb the menace of illegal constructions.

He described the launching of the one-window facility as ‘an important technical step’.

People faced problems when new housing schemes were not launched, but the present government revived the New Malir, Surjani and Hawkesbay schemes and initiated Taisar Town Housing Scheme to meet the requirement. This would result in the provision of quality housing facilities to people, he said.

Appreciating the efforts being put in by City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, the governor said that the nazim was doing concrete work by fully utilizing his abilities for the benefit of citizens.

Dr Ibad pointed out that software did exist even three years back, but it was the present city government which was marching ahead towards the e-government and this was indicative of the nazim’s determined commitment. This commitment has nexus with the spirit of making facilities available to common man, he added.

The governor observed that the bad name earned by the KBCA because of illegal constructions, had been inherited by the present city government. This, he said, posed a big challenge to the city government which wanted to rectify the situation with the cooperation of the community. “Headway is being made towards this end,” he noted.

Referring to the October-8 earthquake, he said the disaster had conveyed a message to the entire country that substandard construction could not sustain disasters.

He said the city government had a role to play under the disaster management to protect lives of people.

He pointed out that many of the Gulistan-i-Jauhar housing units, particularly flats, constructed in the past appeared to be disputed, posing problems to their allottees. He noted that a cell had been set up some time back but its performance was not satisfactory. He stressed the need for activating the cell so that people’s problems in this regard could be addressed properly.

The governor acknowledged that the development work being carried out in the city and the speed with which the projects were being launched had been creating traffic and utility problems. However, he added, the development would provide high standard facilities to people when these projects would be completed.

He said that the CDGK enjoyed full cooperation from the federal and provincial governments in this regard.

Speaking on the occasion, Syed Mustafa Kamal announced that all the city government services would soon be made available through one-window operation.

He pointed out that the process approval for a building plan had been taking up to three years in the past. With the introduction of the new facility, he added, this period had reduced to just 24 hours. Furthermore, no additional charges would have to be paid by an applicant seeking such an approval.

Earlier, Chief Controller of Buildings Mumtazur Rehman presented the welcome address and highlighted the salient features of the one-window facility.—APP/PPI