UAE | General

Construction firms fined for working at night

About ten companies on average are being fined by Sharjah municipality every month for violating the ban on carrying out construction work after dark said a senior Sharjah municipality official.

  • By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:32 August 19, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Residents living in Sharjah have filed complaints that construction work is often carried out at various sites after dark and that they are kept awake during the night.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Dubai: About ten companies on average are being fined by Sharjah municipality every month for violating the ban on carrying out construction work after dark said a senior Sharjah municipality official.

The civic body had imposed a ban on work at construction sites between 10pm and 6am after it received numerous complaints.

Mohammad Al Ka'abi, head of the security section, Sharjah municipality said that in all probability the companies violating the ban could be more. "I am sure a lot of violators are not being reported to us. On average, ten companies who are fined per month might be repeat violators," he said.

The civic body in Sharjah had issued a ban on companies that continue to work after 10pm at construction sites. Violators are fined a minimum of Dh5,000. "When warnings issued by us fall on deaf ears, we start issuing them with fines but even if that fails to get them to follow our instructions they stand closure of their company," said Al Ka'abi.

A week after the ban was issued by the municipality, Gulf News received complaints from residents living in Al Nahda of normal construction work being carried out after dark.

A resident from Al Nahda who preferred to stay anonymous said that normal construction work after dark goes on at various sites, especially the area located opposite Sahara centre.

Unaware of ban

He said: "We are unable to sleep. It's really annoying that after braving the traffic for about two hours from Dubai to Sharjah, we reach home only to be kept awake by the construction ... I was shocked to learn from a supervisor at a construction site which is located behind the park in Al Nahda that he was unaware of the ban. When I informed him about it, he just shrugged the whole thing off and continued with his work," said the resident.

According to the municipality, with the exception of pouring concrete being allowed to continue after dark all other normal work at construction sites is prohibited. "It is impossible to get concrete pouring work done during the day because of the heat, so this will be allowed after dark," said Al Ka'abi.

The municipality clarified that construction sites that are not located near residential areas can continue with their construction activities even after dark, provided they get clearance from the civic body.

"I would like to know if we residents can just call up the municipality and lodge a complaint about construction companies that continue to operate after dark," said Abbas Hussani, a Jordanian resident in Al Nahda.

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