Services Committee drives bulk of Muharraq Municipal Council proposals

TDT | Manama

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One committee alone put forward nearly twothirds of all measures debated by Muharraq’s municipal council during its latest term. The Services and Public Utilities Committee was behind 140 out of 213 suggestions made during the third session of the sixth council.

The rest came from the Technical Committee, which submitted 41, and the Financial and Legal Committee, which added 32.

Decisions

The Services Committee met 17 times over the session. It took four decisions, prepared eight memos, and sent out four letters.

Among its main requests was approval for the final designs of a ring road stretching from Busaiteen through Al Dair and Samaheej to Diyar Al Muharraq in two stages.

It also called for widening Raya Road from the Busaiteen side to ease traffic. That work is already in progress.

Flyover

The committee also backed plans for a flyover linking Shaikh Isa bin Salman Bridge with Road 105 in Busaiteen, including an extra slip road.

Other ideas included placing portable prayer cabins in areas without mosques, working with the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Waqf.

The committee also asked for shaded shelters outside schools, new tarmac for streets and footpaths, better sewerage connections, and more space for parking in housing areas.

Pedestrian bridge

It also looked into the idea of a pedestrian bridge to connect Old Hidd with East Hidd across Dry Dock Road.

The Financial and Legal Committee held 19 meetings during the same session. It made 32 suggestions and 24 decisions.

Among them were plans to charge food delivery firms a fee, set money aside for repairing unsafe houses, and restart the Investment Committee within the council’s executive side.

Public bidding

The committee supported opening Muharraq Grand Park to public bidding, called for land to be reserved for new housing, and suggested using a fifth of insurance money for investment.

Other items included a proposed change to Article 6, paragraph D of the Property Rent Law.

The aim was to better consider both landlords and tenants. The group also pushed for funding to tackle dangerous buildings, suggested relocating and improving the temporary central market, and called for a fund to support older neighbourhoods.

Recommendations

The Technical Committee, which met 11 times, put forward 41 recommendations, two decisions, two memos, and three letters.

It said councillors should be shown any council-owned land in their area before it goes to auction, and called for building limits in Diyar Al Muharraq to be revised.

It also laid down terms for around-the-clock shop openings, and turned down a guide allowing carports outside property lines, giving reasons for its stance.

Road junction

One of its suggestions was to name every road junction across Muharraq Governorate.

Its role also covered rules on selling corner plots and using land owned by state bodies inside the council’s boundary.

It looked into street names, park names and neighbourhood names, reviewed local health rules with those in charge, and handled permits for building, demolishing, repairing or changing structures.