Building Control: Evaluating the SBCA Building Approval Process: Procedural Red Tape and its link to Illegal Construction

Abstract

This policy paper examines the approval regime of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and identifies a systemic “Compliance Conflict” at its core. It argues that excessive procedural delays—rather than weak regulation—are the primary drivers of illegal construction across Sindh’s major cities in 2025. Approval timelines that extend from the statutory 60 days to 18–24 months, combined with high financing costs, have made non-compliance economically rational for developers. The study highlights structural failures, including fragmented NOC processes, centralized decision-making, revenue-driven regularization practices, and weak on-site monitoring. It contends that illegal construction is a market response to state-induced administrative gridlock. The paper proposes a phased reform roadmap: short-term measures to restore data integrity and halt moral hazard, medium-term legislative and liability reforms to shift accountability, and long-term adoption of AI-enabled monitoring and infrastructure-linked zoning. Collectively, these reforms aim to transform SBCA from bureaucratic control to digital facilitation, restoring regulatory credibility and urban safety.