Traders’ profits plummet amid parking lot closure

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Traders at the Muharraq Souk, locally known as the Halwa Souk, say their takings have been cut in half since the Post Office parking lot was fenced off in December.

Despite a foundation stone being laid by Amakin five months ago, the site has remained untouched with no signs of work beginning.

The car park, once a lifeline for shoppers in the heart of the city, has become an empty gravel lot sealed behind metal barriers.

Congestion

In its absence, drivers squeeze into whatever spaces they can find along nearby shopfronts, as the area grows increasingly congested.

Many now park on pavements or double up along the kerb, adding to the confusion and leaving little room for pedestrians to pass.

The souk’s new design, introduced alongside the planned parking revamp, removed dozens of side bays, leaving little room for customers to stop.

Closure

The closure has made finding a space near the shops nearly impossible, with cars clogging side lanes and bottlenecking traffic.

Residents have also complained of being forced to walk long distances simply to buy groceries and other essentials.

The redesign has reportedly blocked the only passageway to several neighbourhoods, making it difficult, if not impossible, for ambulances and fire engines to reach them.

Abdulaziz Al Naar, who chairs the Muharraq Municipal Council and represents the fourth constituency, said the delay has disrupted both trade and daily life.

Timeline

He urged Amakin to start work without further hold-up and stick to its original timeline.

Al Naar also called for temporary arrangements to ease the strain on shopkeepers and visitors while the site remains idle.

Hamad Al Doy, the MP for the area, said the current development works along Shaikh Hamad Avenue had overlooked the fact that many residents now struggle to reach the souk.

He added that customers are often left with no choice but to park far away and walk, a situation that has taken its toll on local businesses.

Plans

Al Naar pressed the firm to be more open about its plans, saying neither the council nor residents had been kept properly informed.

He warned that the longer the matter drags on, the worse the damage to the area’s economy.

Al Naar said he would keep pushing until work begins and traders can breathe again.