Nabih Saleh set for new roads, schools and fishermen’s jetty

TDT | Manama

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Fishermen, parents and heritage advocates on Nabih Saleh Island are set to benefit from long-awaited changes after Capital councillors visited the island to walk residents through a new plan for roads, schools, parks and a working jetty.

The visit was arranged with the Nabih Saleh Society and forms part of efforts by the Capital Municipal Council to meet residents face to face and hear their concerns directly.

Engineer Huda Sultan, who chairs the Services and Public Facilities Committee, led the group.

She was joined by Dr Abdulhassan Al Dairi, Engineer Mohammed Al Abbas, Dr Wafaa Ajoor and Ms Fatima Al Hajji.

They were received by local elders and families, who welcomed the visit.

The urban development plan, which had earlier been shared with islanders, includes changes to the road layout, the addition of main and side streets, and designated space for public use.

At the moment, the island has no recognised commercial roads. The scheme is set to change that. A site has also been marked out for a fishermen’s jetty.

Sultan said the council would begin talks with the relevant bodies once the land is formally handed over, so that the proper facilities can be put in place.

Residents raised concern about the island’s two schools, which they said could no longer keep up, especially at the primary level.

Two separate plots have been put aside for new schools.

Any building work, however, would depend on the Ministry of Education.

The plan also makes room for public gardens. Work is expected to begin once ownership papers are in order.

There were also calls to protect Ain Al Safahiya, a spring with historical weight.

The council has already opened talks with the Heritage Authority, particularly after survey work found signs of buried remains on nearby plots.

The roads themselves drew criticism. Many are still unpaved, which residents said had damaged newly built homes and left parts of the island hard to reach.

Sultan said the council would speak to the Works Ministry to look into solutions.

Other matters brought up included better access to the coast and the lack of shaded waiting spots outside schools for girls. Sultan noted that these had already been passed on to the Education Ministry.

She said the council’s committees would carry forward everything discussed and follow up with the relevant bodies, with the aim of ensuring the plan meets the needs of Nabih Saleh’s residents.