Naif box spaces offer solace to workers

Dubai: Four men share a one-by-two metre windowless room in one of the many shared accommodations in Naif.

Since the length of the room is only slightly larger than the height of an adult male, the workers have to make vertical arrangements by having two sleep on a two-level bunk bed while the other two sleep on the tiles beneath. A fan is attached to a wall to keep them cool.

This is one of thousands of rooms in overcrowded illegal houses in Naif area that are rented out to low-income workers for Dh300 to Dh500 a month per bed space.

Although the size of the rooms and number of occupants vary, the living conditions in most of the rooms are the same.

It was in one of these town houses that the fire which claimed 11 lives broke out in August. Officials attributed the serious nature of the incident to overcrowding and illegal extensions.

Illegal extentions

There are more than 200 houses and buildings with illegal extensions in Naif area alone, according to Dubai Municipality statistics.

Many of these houses have illegal extensions such as additional floors, bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens.

The extensions are often made with material such as plywood, which pose a fire hazard. Some of the houses have makeshift kitchens consisting of mobile stoves and the gas cylinders a few inches apart in corridors.

Upon entering the houses, one is greeted first by piles of shoes - about 30 pairs. Multiple water and electricity meters can be seen attached to the walls, indicating the consumption of water and electricity.

The authorities have tried to curb overcrowding and illegal extension building partly by cutting utilities to the buildings but tenants have found ways to reconnect it through a simple fuse-replacement procedure.

Landlords taking advantage of the rent situation in Dubai are adding rooms and putting partitions in the houses without licensing in order to maximise their profits, according to Omar Abdul Al Rahman, Head of the building inspection department at Dubai Municipality.

They use cheap material which poses a serious fire and health hazard such as plywood and asbestos, a banned cancer causing material.

Despite the dangerous conditions of these houses, many low-income workers have to pay up to Dh5,000 to real estate agents or watchmen in commission to get a bed space.

A Pakistani worker who spoke to Gulf News on condition of anonymity shares a room in Naif with seven people.

The three-by-four metre room has four bunk beds, all occupied, while another two workers sleep on the floor. Strict rules of having the TV and lights switched of at 11pm are set to avoid fights between roommates.

"I work throughout the day and at night I come to this overcrowded small room. I feel like I have been transformed into a machine that works during the day and is put into this box at night," he said.

Supporting six children

Abdullah, a 35-year-old Pakistani worker, shares a room with eight other people in a townhouse which houses about 100 people. He earns between Dh800 and Dh1,000, of which Dh300 goes to renting the bed space.

"With the rent situation in Dubai a bed space is the only option I have apart from being homeless. I know that many people wonder why I would leave my country to live in such conditions and only have Dh600 left over but I have this little money to support my six children," he said.

Islam, a 30-year-old Pakistani tailor, lives in a one-bedroom flat together with 19 people. After the Naif fire, Islam started to feel that his life was at risk because of the overcrowded conditions he lives in.

Suspension of utilities

Measures taken to curb the overcrowding in houses by Dubai Municipality:

- A notice informing about the violations

- Second warning

- A fine of up to Dh50,000

- Suspension of utilities

- Suspension of the trade licence of the violator

- The Municipality has only the authority to demolish a house if it not suitable for living

Dubai Municipality statistics for third quarter of 2008

- There are 120,000 buildings in Dubai

- There are 1,096 violating buildings across Dubai

- 80 per cent of the violations are illegal extensions

- The number has doubled compared to the same period last year

- 500 houses have had utilities cut for violating rules in the third quarter

- There are 203 illegal buildings in Naif

- It is a 25 per cent increase from last year

History

The Naif area is a district in Deira that was the old commercial centre of Dubai, before new areas such as the Shaikh Zayed Road were commercialised, turning Naif into a traditional hotspot that is now also frequented by tourists.

It is one of the oldest localities in Dubai and has more than 100 traditional townhouses.

A major landmark of the Naif area was the Naif Souq, a clothes and toy market that was destroyed by a fire on April 2 gutting 183 shops.

Naif is also a prominent residential district for low income families and bachelors due to the emergence of upmarket districts that have pushed the prices of accommodation in Naif down.

According to the 2005 census, 34,185 people live in the Naif districts, out of which only 6,120 are female. There are more than 815 buildings in the districts.

Do you know anyone living in the Naif area? How has the overcrowding affected other aspects of social life? What precautionary measures can residents in the area take? Fill in the form bellow to send your comments.

The authorities should do something about this rent increase.
Vj
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 13:12

This is just one of the issues which bachelors face in Dubai. There are many other issues that make life harder for them
Amar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 12:12

Living conditions for these workers in Dubai is getting worse. These workers contribute in the development of this country and should be taken care of.
Vijay Kumar Shrimali
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 11:52

The authorities should take the accommodation issue more seriously. It could be a factor in increased crimes, as these people will avoid going back to their home countries due to the unfavourable employment conditions back home.
Waqar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 11:49

Authorities should take action in order to solve this problem of housing, every employee should be provided with shelter.
Manzur Serniabat
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 11:22

If there are not enough accommodations, why are more and more workers brought into the country?I think it would help if authorities make sure that each company provides a place to stay for its workers.
Saif
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 09:21

I am one of the workers living like this in Naif. It is hard, but what other option do we have?We as bachelors are moved from one place to the other all the time. We have no stability.
Sayed Ali
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 09:21

Authorities should provide facilities with reasonable rates for bachelors.
Ajayan
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 08:56

I think this is happening all over Dubai and not only in Naif. The only way to solve this problem is rent control. Authorities should set a limit to what landlords charge.
Sijo
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 08:52

Authorities must take action and either provide affordable accommodations for these workers or control rent prices
Ahmed
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 08:40

I live with nine other people in one room. We fight over bathroom timings and turning off the lights. We live like this because it is the only option we have.
Thahir
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 08:32

I live with my family in Naif. All around us, many of those bachelors spit, throw trash and behave very inappropriately. Maybe if their living conditions improve, the situation would get better for everyone in the area.
Mhuocq
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 08:30

Fines and precautionary measures cannot solve these problems. The only way to solve this problem is to have accommodations for these workers.
Adnan
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 07:38

Utility departments should not provide water or electricity at all to those buildings. Temporary cutting these services off will not help.
Mohasin
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 07:32

I have seen many crowded rooms and illegal partitions in Naif area. Action should be taken against landlords who allow that.
Manoj
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 09, 2008, 06:30