Sharjah evicts 7,000 bachelors from family neighbourhoods

Sharjah: As many as 7,000 bachelors were evicted from family-friendly neighbourhoods since last September, a senior Sharjah Municipality official announced on Thursday.

Thabit Al Turaifi, director general of the municipality, said that 7,000 labourers and bachelors were evacuated during the ongoing campaign, following the instructions issued by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

“Sharjah City Municipality has organised 1,915 inspections in several areas across the city of Sharjah to evict violating bachelors and labourers from areas designated only for families,” said Al Turaifi. “Utilities were immediately cut off from the illegal housing units, where many unapproved engineering divisions and electrical connections were detected, which posed as a safety hazard to residents of those housing units,” he said.

The municipality stressed that it will continue the eviction campaigns in cooperation with Sharjah Police and the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA).

Other violations

Al Turaifi pointed out that a number of other violations were detected in several houses, such as the setting up of auto-repair workshops and foodstuff stores, in addition to the improper storage of electrical materials. “The inspection campaign aims to preserve the comfort, safety and security of families, which included the areas of Al Qadisiyah, Nasiriyah, Maysaloon, Al Sabkha, Al Jazzat, Al Musalla, Sharqan, Al Ghafia and Al Hazana,” he said.

Al Turaifi said that the industrial areas have accommodation for the workers of construction firms and other companies. Meanwhile, other single workers can stay in commercial areas, subject to certain conditions.

Al Turaifi urged the public to contact the municipality on its hotline number 993 to report incidents where labourers and bachelors are found living in areas solely intended for families.