Nights have turned into busy working hours during the holy month of Ramadan for industrial areas in the Saudi capital.

A high concentration of automobile workshops can be found in the south of Batha, Ghuraibi Street as well as old and new Al-Aruba Street, located near Takhasussi Street. Roads leading to these areas are congested with heavy traffic due to the rush of motorists who want to repair, paint or buy new accessories for their cars, head of the holiday season.

During Ramadan, these workshops are open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Raju, an Indian mechanic at Al-Aruba Sinnaiyah, said customers prefer to come to the workshop after performing taraweeh prayers.

“Mornings are dull during this month, as customers hardly visit the workshops due to the heat and long fasting hours,” he noted.

Abdullah, an Asian mechanic, indicated that it is financially more rewarding to work during Ramadan, as customers give workers lavish tips.

Abdul Majeed, an employee at an automobile accessories’ shop in Ghoraibi Street, said that motorists rush to his shop to buy accessories for their new cars.

“During the holy month, many locals and affluent expatriates buy new vehicles. They visit our shop to ask for a number of embellishments including, window screen tints, fog light fixtures, car alarms, new carpets and other additions,” he said.

A car garage supervisor said Ramadan is one of the busiest months of the year, noting that the garage handles all types of repairs, except for vehicles damaged in car accidents.

“We accept vehicles damaged in accidents if the motorist can provide a certificate from the traffic police department providing permission for the repair work,” he added.