Opening of Tahlia underpass promotes business opportunities

Stores located around the upcoming Tahlia Street underpass are eagerly awaiting its opening so that they can return to work and begin earning profits, as their businesses have suffered in the last four years due to delays in the execution of the road underpass and overpass.
More than 27 percent of establishments located around road projects have been closed because of the lack of business profits. The long period taken to implement road projects has prevented customers from reaching shops, Farooq Al-Khateeb, a professor in King Abdul Aziz University told Arab News.
“Delays in the project’s execution have negatively impacted commercial activity on the street. The price of commercial establishments located around road projects may drop by more than 50 percent if the owner plans to sell his shop,” he said.
According to him, 30 percent of small stores have been closed in streets where bridges or underpasses are under construction. While bigger stores can wait for the completion of projects, smaller establishments cannot cope with the losses being incurred as a result.
“It really is a catastrophe. Profits at my restaurant, which is located close to the road underpass, have been badly affected. Before this project started, I was earning more than SR 5,000 a month, which have since dropped to less than SR 1,000. As such, I am eagerly awaiting the completion of this project,” said Mohammad Jamal, a Yemeni who owns a small restaurant on Tahlia Street.
“There are many roads projects under construction in Jeddah. The contractors should take into account the interests of commercial establishments and shops located around the road projects,” said Abdullah Baker Radwan, president of the construction national committee at the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.