A special committee linking up all interested parties could provide a solution to the thorny issue of abandoned houses in Muharraq, councillors believe.

The problem once again raised its head at a Muharraq Municipal Council meeting when a preliminary survey carried out by the authority was presented, highlighting 350 properties in a desperate condition.

The meeting heard that the bureaucratic process involving bodies such as the Electricity and Water Authority, Civil Defence and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) was a hurdle that needed to be addressed to speed up the process of taking action.

Baca wants to preserve some of the older ‘heritage homes’ in the area as they are part of Bahrain’s history but those beyond repair need to be demolished for safety reasons, according to councillors.

“We have at least 350 dangerous buildings that pose a threat to the people in the area, and I believe we need to be able to move on this issue as soon as possible,” said council chairman Ghazi Al Murbati.

Muharraq Municipality director general Ibrahim Al Jowder said a joint body with the power to execute decisions could offer a solution. “I suggest we form a joint committee that includes us, Baca, the Interior Ministry and the governorate to solve this issue. The committee could be an executive one so it can act on its decisions right away.”

“Communication between each government body takes time, so doing this will be the best way to make sure that everyone is on the same page and, through site visits together, can save time and act decisively.

“Having a representative from Baca on the panel would also help us identify which of these properties should be labelled as ‘heritage houses’ in need of preservation and renovation and which ones can be demolished.”

This recommendation was unanimously accepted by the council members and will be drafted as a proposal to be sent to the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry for approval.

The GDN reported last week that vice-chairman and area councillor Hassan Al Doy revealed there were 500 dilapidated buildings in a second constituency which needed to be razed to the ground immediately for the safety of citizens.

ghazi@gdn.com.bh

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