In order to give further impetus to already accelerated construction activity in the city, CDGK will shortly restore the frozen residential plots allotted under the Chief Minister quota, whereas for commercial plots under the same quota the city government has constituted a committee to determine market value prior to their restoration.
This was stated by City Nazim Naimatullah Khan at a meeting with a delegation of Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) on Friday.
He observed that lifting of ban on these plots would further boost the construction activity in the city. He said that President Musharraf was showing special interest in low-cost housing projects so that the low-income people of the country can be provided a comfortable, affordable and respectable housing facility.
He said that the lull prevailing in construction industry during the last few years had given rise to unemployment, which he termed as the biggest problem of the metropolis.
In this perspective, he advocated for rapid promotion of construction activity in the city and pointed out that both the President and Sindh Governor were willing to expedite the construction and other industrial activities in Karachi.
He said that the under-construction mega-projects like, K-III, Lyari Espressway and Northern Bypass had provided employment to about 32,000 people.
He expressed resolve to provide all basic facilities to the Katchi Abadis and to launch low-cost housing schemes for the rehabilitation of the homeless in the city. He urged the builders and contractors to complete all the ongoing projects on time.
The delegation requested the Nazim to extend the date notified by KBCA for the regularisation of illegal construction for the residential projects and expressed their gratitude over the fact that including the President, CM, governor and the Nazim all government officials were rendering their efforts for the promotion of construction industry in the country.
On this, the Nazim said that though the date for regularisation of illegal construction had expired, KBCA would review the issue and consider their demand.
He also constituted a committee, comprising DCO, Karachi, Chief Controller Buildings, EDO, Master Plan and an ABAD representative to examine the problems of the builders and resolve them.
The committee after reviewing their demands would send recommendations to the provincial government for approval. The Nazim also directed the builders to take care of their projects as heavy public investment was there which should not go to waste.
Those who attended the meeting were DCO, Karachi, Mir Hussain Ali, Chief Controller Buildings Brigadier A.S. Nasir, EDO, Water and Sanitation, Shahid Saleem, EDO, Works and Services, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Chief Engineer, Sewerage, Fareed Somro, Chief Engineer, KESC, Anees Qureshi, Manager Sui Southern Gas Company, Mehtab Ali, Divisional Engineer, PTCL, Mohsin Ali Khan, Chairman ABAD, Mirza Babar Chughtai, EDO Revenue, Mohammad Waseem, EDO Master Plan, Zaigham Jaffery and the other representatives of ABAD and civil contractors.