MPs backs 'Tarmeem' platform for homes at risk of collapse

Committee approves proposal despite officials saying similar services already exist

A proposal to establish a national platform named "Tarmeem" to identify homes at risk of collapse and oversee their repair for low-income Bahraini families gained the approval of the Public Utilities and Environment Affairs Committee at the Council of Representatives. This approval came despite confirmation from several government bodies that similar services already exist under current programmes and initiatives. The committee unanimously recommended approving the proposal.

The committee unanimously recommended approving the proposal. It noted that renovating homes early extends their lifespan, eases the financial burden on low-income families, preserves Bahrain's architectural character, and offers an opportunity to use Bahraini engineering graduates to provide solutions that ensure home sustainability after renovation.

MP Basma Mubarak, supported by four other MPs, submitted the proposal. It calls for launching a national platform, supervised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, in partnership with the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, and the Ministry of Social Development. This platform would identify homes threatened with collapse, oversee renovation works, and support eligible families across the Kingdom. The proposal calls for the platform to be funded from allocations in the state's general budget, in addition to donations and grants accepted by the competent ministry.

In justifying the proposal, MP Basma Mubarak stated that many low-income Bahraini families live in homes at risk of collapse. She stressed that making minor repairs early extends a building's lifespan by years and reduces maintenance costs compared with leaving damage to worsen. She added that the proposal includes providing suitable temporary housing for beneficiary families during renovation work, without imposing any additional financial burden on them, while ensuring the protection of beneficiaries' privacy and that no photos or information that could reveal their identities or cause them embarrassment would be published.