JEDDAH, 11 September 2004 — Police have announced plans to regulate traffic at all important roundabouts, intersections and main roads with the reopening of schools for a new academic session today.
Saudi schools reopen today after a vacation of over two months. International schools started reopening a fortnight ago.
“Traffic, especially at important intersections and roundabouts around which schools are located, will be strictly regulated,” Muhammad Hassan Al-Qahtani, deputy director at Jeddah Traffic Police, said over the weekend. Traffic police will be posted at many spots all over the city to prevent jams and accidents.
“Our whole exercise is to see that the roads around schools and main city thoroughfares are free of traffic jams and the movement of traffic is smooth,” he added. “All police officers at these important points will be equipped with motor bikes or cars and men of a special traffic cell will deal with accidents,” he said.
One of the many steps taken is to see that all traffic lights are in order and they function without interruption. He warned that traffic offenders would be dealt with severely. “Traffic offenses can be prevented or minimized if parents take maximum care of their children and drive with care,” he added.
A foretaste of the emerging traffic pattern was available over the weekend as vacationers started returning in time for the reopening of schools. All roads leading to the city from King Abdul Aziz International Airport’s North and South terminals recorded a heavy movement of vehicles.
Shopping malls, bookstores and stationery outlets, which reported brisk business in the past few days with the reopening of international schools, are expected to be busy with parents and children of local schools looking for new bags, books and stationery. “I’ve already sold 1,000 school bags within a week,” Muhammad Ghanim, an attendant at a store in downtown Balad, said yesterday. Prices of school bags range from SR50 to upward of SR200.
Particularly happy are dealers in computer hardware and software, as well as computer accessories as their demand grows with the reopening of schools. “Computers and new software programs are in great demand from schools and students,” an executive at Jarir Bookstore at Palestine Road, said.
Likewise demand for computer work centers, tables, desks and swivel chairs, as well as electrical accessories including power stabilizers is also up, said the manager at SACO. “Demand for all these have been increasing from the time the international schools started reopening a fortnight ago,” he added.
With the increasing interest of local students in competitive exams like Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), etc., dealers hope to do good business in their guidebooks or software programs. “All these are on offer from SR59 to SR159,” a bookstore owner said.
Inquiries with both International and local schools show that security has been beefed up in and around their premises. Security officials have been posted near some of the major international and local schools. Vehicles passing by the schools are being continuously monitored.
