Author : Editor
His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday approved the rebuilding of 45 houses in Muharraq, deemed dangerous by the Muharraq Municipal Council.
This came as council chairman Abdulnasser Al Mahmeed, vice-chairman and head of the council's housing rehabilitation programme Ali Yacoub Al Muqla, and councillor from Busaiteen and head of the technical services committee Mohammed Al Mutawa met HRH the Premier.
Mr Al Muqla told HRH the Premier that 45 houses in Muharraq were in urgent need of repairs.
He said these houses are not among the 1,000 units set aside under the housing rehabilitation programme. Including the houses under the scheme will delay the rebuilding which could be disastrous, he said.
HRH the Premier ordered Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi to carry out the rebuilding.
An extraordinary council meeting was called to finalise the project.
HRH the Premier's gesture is a gift to Muharraq, Mr Al Mahmeed said.
"We are reviewing the cases and only houses in 'critical' condition would be considered," said Mr Al Mahmeed.
He said for houses to fall under this category they have to be occupied by the owner and must be in a "dangerous" condition.
The council will ask members to determine the most dangerous houses in their areas to be included in the project, he said.
"Once the cases are determined, they will be handed over to an expert committee that will physically verify and make a report.
It will be presented to the Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry."
The ministry, he said, is authorised to carry out the rebuilding on an urgent basis, said Mr Al Mahmeed.
He said the plan to hand over the project to the Housing Ministry should be reviewed. The ministry, he said, was planning to pay the applicants money so each of them could build on their own.
Source : gulf-daily-news.com
