UPDATE (May 5, 2021): Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has been split into six regional units by the Sindh Government. The authority has not been absolutely dissolved but its powers have been transferred into regional units owing to the number of duties it was performing as informed by the Sindh Chief Minister. This is the third time changes at such a huge scale have been made to the SBCA since its inception in 1979.
The primary duties of the authority such as approving building plans, issuing license and NOCs and granting completion certificates will now be performed by the regional units. The principal authority will now only be involved in policymaking. The six newly formed units are:
- Regional Building Control Authority Karachi
- Regional Building Control Authority Hyderabad
- Regional Building Control Authority Mirpurkhas
- Regional Building Control Authority Shaheed Benazirabad
- Regional Building Control Authority Sukkur
- Regional Building Control Authority Larkana
Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) is a government body that approves building plans, structural designs, issues no-objection certificates (NOCs) to builders for sales of projects and performs some other duties which will be explained in the piece. The authority was established on 14th February 2011 and formerly it was just Karachi Building Control Authority and its jurisdiction was only limited to Karachi.
In this piece, we will explain the history of SBCA, its functions and areas that come under its jurisdiction. SBCA also has guidelines to buy properties in Karachi and you can also read about obtaining construction permits for houses in Karachi which will guide you if you are a beginner in the real estate market.
Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA)
Headquartered in Karachi, Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) was initially Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA). Before KBCA was formally formed, the regulation of building activities and functions of building control changed hands between the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) repeatedly.
History Of SBCA
Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) was not formed overnight and the duties and functions it performs today were carried out by other departments after independence in 1947. Initially, Municipal Corporation was responsible for building regulation in Karachi and in 1957, Karachi Development Authority (KDA) was formed and one of its duties was to take up town expansion and granting building plans.
In 1974, building control for some of the societies in Karachi was handed over to KMC but in 1979 KBCA was formed and both KDA and KMC were brought under the jurisdiction of KBCA.
There were no rules and set legislation to monitor and regulate sales of units to the general public by builders which led to many fraudulent bookings by fake companies. To reduce these frauds, Government of Sindh introduced Sindh Building Control Ordinance (SBCO) in 1979 which was important to:
- Ensure stability in structures
- Quality control in construction
- Regulate the building and town planning Regulations
- Safeguard the interest of general public
After almost 30 years, the Government of Sindh renamed Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) to Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) in 2011 and extended its jurisdiction to the entire province of Sindh. The purpose of the authority remains the same i.e. building regulation and sale of units through licensed professionals.
Regions Of SBCA
The five regions of SBCA as decided by Government of Sindh are:
- Karachi (Headquarter)
- Hyderabad
- Mirpurkhas
- Sukkur
- Larkana
Roles And Responsibilities Of SBCA
SBCA performs following duties:
- Regulating town planning and building control all over Sindh Province under the legal direction of SBCO 1979
- Approving different types of building plans and structural designs under SBCA’s jurisdiction
- Issuance of NOCs for advertising public sale projects which includes construction and development specifications, unit prices for fixations and time required etc.
- It also resolves public complaints against builders and developers and has the authority to take legal action against builders for violating any rule or building without an approved plan
- Issue licenses to builders and developers
- Review the status of buildings and identify, declare and demolish dangerous buildings
Organizational Structure
Like any other organization, SBCA also has a proper structure and chain of command. The chain starts from Director General who is appointed in headquarter and oversees all five regions. The regional director comes under the DG and every region has its own director. There are 11 different departments that come under the supervision of a director: licensing, legal affairs, computer, demolition, admin, structure, vigilance, town planning and regulations, recovery, design and complaints.
Each region is then further divided into sub-sectors like Korangi, Gulberg, Malir etc. and have a director of their own. There are two departments that report to the office of Director General which are public relations and medical.
Address
The location of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) is Civic Centre, Annexe, University Road, Gulshan-E-Iqbal, Karachi.
Contact Number: 021-99230329, 021-99231890, 021-99231834
All building designs and town planning are documented and checked by SBCA first and without any approval, it can’t be developed otherwise there will be serious consequences for the builders. This is all about Sindh Building Control and its roles and responsibilities in the construction sector.
You can also find properties for sale in Karachi and Hyderabad and also check the Zameen Area Guides section where you can see the highlights of a particular neighbourhood and nearest locations to that area.
You may also be interested in reading about PM’s Construction Relief Package and Real Estate Sector in 2021 and the latest updates on Naya Pakistan Housing Programme. Keep reading Zameen Blog for more updates in the real estate sector and property laws.
