TABUK: A war of words between residents, engineers, contractors and the municipality has resulted in a series of complaints against structural engineering offices, contractors, and, in some cases, there have been litigation.
A number of Tabuk residents have taken recourse to legal action against concerned officials following structural damages to their houses. Some of these houses have become uninhabitable, as they have developed deep cracks.
People living in the Al-Nahdah, Al-Qadisiah and Al-Rajhi areas are the most affected. About 150 buildings are now at high risk of falling.
Contractors and engineers underline the lay of the land as the primary source of the problem, citing the soil as a major challenge for builders. The residents, however, argue that they have built their homes according to the municipality’s criteria.
It is this tug-of-war that causes heartache, and raised tempers and concerns. Ali Al-Balawi, owner of a building, is a case in point. “I took a loan to build my home, and an engineer supervised the project. After they said everything was finished, I was shocked to see cracks all around the building. We fixed them only to see them reappear again,” he said.
Khamis Al-Atawi is also in a fix now, as he has to evacuate his home soon after finding it unsafe. “We urge the governor of Tabuk to look into our case and find a solution to our problem,” he said.
Another citizen, Fahad Al-Bluwi, said his financial condition prevents him from leaving and, so, he and his family are staying at home despite its deteriorating condition.
While complaints like these grow, residents point fingers at engineers and contractors. “We are not specialists. We followed the rules set out by the municipality. They should have studied the soil carefully and provided the location with all necessary services, including a water and sewage system,” said Yahya Al-Amri, another owner of a building at the same location.
Afnan Al-Atawi, who evacuated his building eight years ago after he felt it was unsafe for living, has lodged a complaint against the municipality’s engineering office. Investigations revealed it was dangerous to build on this land since it contains loose soil, said Al-Atawi, adding that no engineering office has been able to offer a solution to his problem. According to him, there is a need to increase awareness among people living in the area.
Abdul Aziz Al-Khuraisi, head of the Construction License Department at Tabuk Municipality, said his department does not distribute land without prior careful study. “These lands were authorized by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and were examined. All safety rules were set out by the municipality before the land was handed to citizens.”
According to Al-Khuraisi, the fact that some of the buildings at the same location were constructed 10 years ago but nothing has happened to them indicates that citizens who are complaining may have violated rules. When asked how these problems could be solved, he said his department sends engineering consultants to the location and then specialist consultants to fix buildings.
“If a building is not suitable for living, the case would be transferred to court,” added Al-Khuraisi. Yousuf Al-Atawi, head of the planning department at Tabuk Municipality, said the cracks largely occur due to “poor construction by contractors or the carelessness of citizens. The quality of construction material does count as well as patience in completing the job.”
Fahad Al-Ghamdi, owner and manager of Jabal Isan Contracting Company, said the municipality had given authorization and should have, therefore, stated clear rules in relation to these areas, which contain loose soil. “Lands in these areas were allotted to citizens 28 years ago and they are now crowded districts. At that time, the municipality gave the authorizations without conducting detailed studies.”
According to him, the prevalence of cheap contracting companies with expatriates willing to offer poor services at low prices is also a factor. Al-Ghamdi added supervising engineers who do not examine everything carefully also share a part of the responsibility.
Sayed Mahmoud, head of the Al-Khuriaji Labrotary for Soil Tests, told Al-Watan newspaper that the presence of loose soil in the districts of Tabuk increases the challenges of construction in the area. “It is crucial that no water touches the foundation of buildings and houses. The poor application of precautionary rules results in damages to these buildings,” added Mahmoud.
