JEDDAH: Mayor of Jeddah Adel Fakieh announced yesterday a SR1.3 billion municipal budget for 2009, which includes projects to develop the city’s roads, build parks, establish a forest around the sewage lake and make the city an internationally acclaimed tourist destination.
Speaking to reporters at his office, Fakieh expressed his gratitude to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for appointing him as mayor for the fourth consecutive year.
Fakieh said 36 percent of the current budget has been allocated for projects to develop the city’s roads and streets.
He added that the budget would be divided to meet costs relating to cleaning and environment development, prevention of flooding, urban development, municipality services, greenery and beautification, and research and study.
“I shall work hard to create a paradigm shift in the city in order to make it an internationally acclaimed tourism destination and a symbol of modernization that suits a city that has long been known as the gateway to the two holy mosques,” the mayor said.
He added that Jeddah would witness tangible change in the coming five years in terms of living standards, services and facilities. “We have plans to make the city a beating heart for recreation and business in a way that would make both residents and visitors proud,” he said.
He said King Abdullah is personally interested in the Khozam Area Development Project, which aims to modernize and organize several un-zoned districts of Jeddah. He added compensations are left to the choice of the property owners who have the option of acquiring shares with the company established to develop these areas.
“No one would be forced to leave their homes before being provided suitable housing ... the compensations are not within the responsibilities of the developing company. A specialized committee comprising representatives of the governorate and the Ministry of Justice has been established to estimate compensation amounts,” he said.
Fakieh said the development of the un-zoned districts is an important project that will ultimately include other areas of the city. “There is a current study to organize three major districts in the southern part of the city,” he said.
Other initiatives include increasing greenery and beautifying Jeddah. “We hope to establish hundreds of new public parks around the city in the coming two years,” he said.
The mayor said the municipality has finalized a study showing the need to undertake 90 road projects around the city -- 18 of these projects have begun already; 12 are planned to start this year. “The rest of the road projects will be announced before the end of the year,” the mayor said.
“The eastern side of the city will be surrounded by a green belt that will include a massive forest near the Sewage Lake, which is soon to be a thing of the past,” he said.
He added that the municipality has finalized various solutions to shift the city’s Industrial Zone away from its current location in south Jeddah. “We’re looking for the best way to shift the zone within the coming six months,” he said.
