Fire-hit A’ali family awaits return home as council seeks exemption

Northern Municipal Council requests approval to remove residence requirement that is delaying reconstruction works

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A family displaced by a house fire in A’ali in 2024 is still waiting to return home, as the Northern Municipal Council moves to resolve a procedural delay blocking reconstruction works.

The council unanimously approved a request to the Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture seeking an exemption from the residence requirement for the homeowner.

The request, submitted by Sixth Constituency representative Abdulla Abdulhameed Ashoor, comes after a technical report found the fire-damaged house was unsafe and beyond repair due to structural damage, including a deteriorated wooden roof and major wall cracks.

The homeowner had agreed to demolish and rebuild the property at his own expense, with finishing works to be supported through the Towns and Villages Development Project.

However, the family’s temporary relocation after the fire required a change of official address, preventing the homeowner from meeting the residency condition needed to complete the procedures.

The council said granting the exemption would help speed up the project and allow the family to return to their home after a prolonged displacement. The recommendation will now be reviewed by the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture.