JEDDAH: The first phase of the Khuzam area development project will begin today with the demolition of Khuzam International Swimming Pool and its surrounding fences, according to press reports yesterday.
The project’s initial phase includes the demolition of more than 11,000 buildings in the area. Owners have been compensated and the properties have been handed to the project’s supervising committee. The rest of the buildings will be demolished in subsequent phases.
According to a municipal official, only 3,200 buildings had proper deeds while owners of as many as 8,000 buildings do not have official documents to prove ownership.
He said Jeddah’s mayor had issued an order preventing evacuation of the buildings before their owners received compensation.
He said owners of the buildings without proper deeds had taken possession of their properties a long time ago and did not bother to apply for official deeds. In view of this, Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal has asked the municipality to treat owners who have official deeds and those without equally.
The Khuzam area development project is being handled by Dar Al-Arkan Company, which has received the green light from the governorate to start construction. Khuzam is located in south Jeddah’s Al-Nuzlah district, which is considered one of the four main unorganized districts targeted for development.
Maj. Ali Al-Ghamdi, head of Jeddah police, said developing unorganized districts would help in reduce crimes such as drug peddling, which thrives in those areas.
Al-Ghamdi said according to police records, the crime rate is much higher in unorganized areas compared to the rest of the city’s districts.
He added that the continuous development plan would create a paradigm shift in the war against crime in Jeddah.
