Building laws being flouted in Khost

 KHOST CITY (PAN): Most buildings in southeastern Khost province are being constructed without government permission and in violation of the prescribed regulations, an official acknowledged on Sunday.

Under urban development ministry rules, a building has to be erected eight metres from the road. But over the past two years, residents have been flouting the laws in constructing structures.

Eng. Yousaf, the urban development director, told reporters Khost was a district during former King Zahir Shah’s rule. Now that it has become a province, Khost needs fast-track development.

Yousaf said each commercial building should have a parking lot and others facilities for customers. But owners ignored construction rules, he lamented.

Security forces had been informed several times to stop work on projects that flouted the prescribed rules, but no action had been taken so far, the director continued.

Mayor Eng. Mohammad Sharif said a small number of influential people had encroached on municipality land in the heart of the city.

Personal buildings have been built in the streets that the municipality had preserved for unloading of trucks, according to the mayor, who said a commission had been formed to identify state-owned land and demolish the buildings constructed on it.

ml/mud

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