Call to curb 24-hour karak shops
Karak shops accused of trading all night without permission are blocking Zallaq’s main road, with customers’ cars at times making it hard for ambulances to get through, a councillor has warned.
Hamad Al Zuabi told the Southern Municipal Council during its meeting yesterday that some shops stay open 24 hours a day even though their licences do not allow them to trade through the night.
He said a single car stopping by the roadside could hold up traffic across the area.
Mr Al Zuabi said the trouble went beyond shop signs.
Shops staying open late bring cars onto Shaikh Yousif Al-Seddiqi Avenue, a key route into and out of Zallaq, he said.
Karak shops in residential areas, he argued, had no need to trade all night when customers stopping outside could block the road and disturb people living nearby.
Cars left along the avenue can leave little room for passing traffic. Ambulances have at times struggled to get through, he said.
Mr Al Zuabi said late-night businesses should be moved to petrol stations or commercial centres with enough parking rather than operate along residential roads.
He also called for checks after midnight on shops required to close at that hour, saying visits after closing time would show which businesses were still trading.
Mr Al Zuabi also questioned how shop-sign permits were being handled. He said the municipality had taken action in some cases despite owners holding permits, while other requests had gone unanswered.
He called for clear rules on signs, opening hours and licences, along with checks on businesses accused of breaking them, blocking roads or disturbing residents.
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