There has been a mixed reaction from shop owners to the construction of new tunnels, bridges and roads in the city. Some think their businesses will suffer long-term damage while others believe the developments will eventually benefit them.

Talal Al-Omari said the Hira and Prince Majid intersection projects led to the closure of several stores because it blocked access to customers. He said rentals also went up in the area.

Faisal Al-Otaibi said all stores on main roads have parking lots that negated the effect of the construction. He said a company constructed a bridge next to his store without sales suffering.

Owners would suffer short-term losses but the developments were helping to upgrade the city, he said.

Eid Al-Baqmi, who rents out a building, said a construction project in his area led to businesses suffering and tenants moving away. However, when the project was completed he was able to increase the rent for his store by SR2,500.

Faleh Al-Salami said that after the Jeddah municipality completed a project in his area, rents rose by 10 to 15 percent. Tenants started changing the look of the properties and raised the prices of their goods because they were on a major, fully serviced street.

Abdulaziz Al-Qarni said he lost SR70,000 after the municipality began a drainage project close to his business. Before the project, he said he had run the business successfully for two years.

He said the contractor eventually built a road and parking lot next to his store. He also negotiated a temporary rent reduction with the shop owner, which helped save his business.

Abdullah Al-Sanosi, an economist, praised some contractors for helping businesses. “Projects benefit everyone and strengthen the country’s infrastructure.

But sometimes residents’ needs are not taken into consideration,” he said and called on the municipality to have an economist to help officials determine the economic impact of developments in the city.