UAE | Housing & Property

Sharjah residents warned against defacing buildings

Unauthorised modifications will attract fines to be paid within a week

  • By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:00 January 25, 2012
  • Gulf News

Balcony
  • Image Credit: Gulf News archive
  • Picture used for illustrative purposes only.

Sharjah: The Sharjah municipality issued a circular on Tuesday stepping up its campaign against tenants who misuse their balconies.

"Residents in buildings have to be reminded that it is not allowed to install satellite dishes in their balconies, and they should also not use it as a storage room or have it closed off with nets," Sultan Al Mua'alem, director-general of Sharjah Municipality, said.

The circular was distributed as part of the municipality's efforts to enhance the city's appearance.

Al Mua'alem said pamphlets in four different languages — Arabic, English, Farsi and Urdu — have already been distributed in residential buildings. He said residents found flouting the rules will be fined Dh250, to be paid within a week. Tenants failing to make the payment within the stipulated period will face a penalty of Dh500.

The pamphlet also states that residents should call the municipality hotline 993 if they have any queries about the rules. Residents, however, were left fuming by the municipality's drive.

"I think the authorities should not have a say in this matter, unless they provide each household with a free drier and electricity," said one.

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"Talking about beautification, there are lots of important things other than hanging clothes on balconies. If you go inside the industrial areas, there are practically no roads where we can drive on... I think authorities should pay more attention to these things rather than such petty things as clothes hung on balconies or dish antennas on windows," said Anjana, an Indian resident.

Parents also expressed displeasure with rules that disallow the installation of nets or safety grills unless prior permission is obtained from the technical department at Sharjah Municipality. "I have seen grills in balconies in various countries and thin grills that are enough to make them child-proof, do not affect aesthetics," said another irked resident.

Comments (14)

  1. Added 16:28 January 25, 2012

    when i gave birth to my child, i had a lot of clothes to get dried. ours was a studio flat where there were no balconies. we managed to put the cloth outside our window, after tieing up some ropes. we got fined. we asked the municipality man, as to where should we then hang our clothes. he said in our home. in a studio flat, where is the space to dry the clothes? after all is it healthy to dry clothes in the same room where you do cooking, etc. or they can say to use the stand in the balconcies, which is not visible outside. in that case they should provide all the flats with a balcony.

    Pinky Jacob, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  2. Added 15:47 January 25, 2012

    The clothes cannot be hung as the photograph shows, but there is a rack for drying clothes, which i hope surely can be used. I dont think municipality will oppose that move. Also, with respect to modifications, it is the municipality which should come out with proper plan for existing buildings (for balconies & windows). Meanwhile if municipality cannot come out with a plan, it will be up to public to decide. They should not be fined and at the same time warned when their children fall from tall buildings.

    Thajudeen Mohammad, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  3. Added 15:05 January 25, 2012

    If we dont dry clothes in the balcony then where should we dry them?? Like other people said Muncilipity should look into other important matters rather than looking into our balconies.

    Anonymous, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  4. Added 15:05 January 25, 2012

    The building I stay in has no balcony so its not an issue...but would like to know what measures the authorities take to keep the windows / glasses of the building clean...most buildings are covered with dust which makes it look really dirty.

    Anonymous, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

  5. Added 14:23 January 25, 2012

    This is really good. Most of the people are putting their cloths in balcony and it's a very bad view for the front house. People should keep their cloths inside without just showing to others.

    Anonymous, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  6. Added 14:06 January 25, 2012

    Beautification is good, but cloth is one of the major essentials of man which should be dried some where. For appartments balcony is the only place for drying cloths. If place for drying cloths can be made at the time of construction of appartments these type of problems can be solved. Most of the people use balcony for drying cloths only.

    Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  7. Added 14:04 January 25, 2012

    Agree with Municipality Drive, but would request them to visit some of the purely residential areas where a pity was shown few months back by laying aggregate base to identify road, which was being sprayed by water for few days and now it's nothing but a source of refined form of dust, which is deterioting health of children & adults equally. Please do the needful before everybody's suffering with respiratory infections/problems get worse.

    Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  8. Added 13:43 January 25, 2012

    what is the alternative for drying clothes other than balcony?

    Anonymous, dubai, United Arab Emirates

  9. Added 13:26 January 25, 2012

    I agree with municipality decision and appreciate that. Although still there are some more to do in Municipality side to beautify city as well.

    shamsi, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  10. Added 12:04 January 25, 2012

    Beautification drive is good but first before imposing any restriction municipality should offer an alternative. Dear Municipality, what's the alternative?

    Moiz, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    11. View more comments

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