The municipality has completed erecting lampposts and asphalting of the area before the holy month of Ramadan, which is considered a peak business season. Abu Ras will also tour the area to inspect the maintenance and repair work on a number of historic buildings in the area.
However, when Arab News inspected the area, it was dirty with foul pools of stagnant water spread all over the place, especially in the Bab Sharif, Harat Al-Bahar, Al-Khaskiya and Bab Makkah areas.
The shop owners there said they were sick of complaining about the dirt and leaking water as no one was heeding their complaints.
There was also traffic congestion in the area and many cars parked haphazardly along the sides of the roads. There were increased numbers of pilgrims from all nationalities shopping in the area.
Some of them who spoke to the newspaper said they were astonished by the level of filth and bad civic services. “I came here several times before but I have never seen the place in such a mess,” one visitor said.
Chairman of the Balad municipality Sami Nawwar said all development projects in the area were completed in record time.
He said development projects were completed in the souks (markets) of Al-Alawi, Gabil and Al-Nada in addition to other utilities in the district.
“We have finished installing electric posts, asphalting and cleaning of the area,” he added.
Nawwar said umbrellas were provided in these markets to protect shoppers and visitors from the sun.
