Finding a parking place near some of the government departments has become like finding a needle in a haystack, say residents.

Visitors to these departments waste much time in searching for a place to park their vehicles, which in turn is causing traffic congestion. Many of the residents wonder why a permanent solution to the problem is not being looked into.

The situation seems far worse in the residential areas where these government offices are located, such as the Labor Office and Passports Department in Jeddah’s Ammaria and Kandara districts, as well as the traffic departments in some suburban neighborhoods.

Whereas these neighborhoods are already experiencing congestion from vehicles of residents, the presence of hundreds of vehicles in those areas exacerbates the problem.

Khodr Al-Ibrahimi, who lives in Ammaria district in central Jeddah, said the Labor Office’s location close to his house caused him great inconvenience as he was forced to wait for a long time during working hours in order to get out of the traffic blockage.

He claimed visitors’ cars block doors and main entrances to residential buildings, causing inconveniences to the residents.

Majed Hilal, another distraught resident, said he is bedazzled by the decision of these government agencies to set up their offices in residential locations.

He said he has been forced to resort to tow trucks several times to remove vehicles blocking the entryway to his house.

According to yet another local, Hassan Al-Kadadi, the problem also exists at newer buildings, such as the Traffic Accidents Department in Naseem neighborhood, where many residents have been forced to put on signs warning visitors from parking in certain areas.

Many residents believe that the solution to this problem is not difficult but simply requires proper planning and providing available space for parking, even if it would be more costly.