Capital's corniche to be repaired soon

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Municipality is planning a series of measures to strengthen safety at the corniche to avoid accidents and human injuries, a senior official told Gulf News.

"The cables of the fence will be repaired and an additional plastic barrier will also be added to improve the safety of the fence," said Engineer Eisa Mubarak Al Mazroui, director of infrastructure and service co-ordination at Abu Dhabi Municipality. He was responding to the complaints raised by Gulf News readers.

"Apart from corrosion, callousness of some visitors who climb on the cables to have a look at the water, have also caused frequent damage of the fence," he said.

To check corrosion and related damage, the civic body will periodically review safety measures at the corniche, Al Mazroui added. He said that Abu Dhabi Municipality does not blame all visitors for the damage of the fence.

"Some people may be unknowingly doing it while enjoying the beauty of the place. But we request the involvement of residents to improve the safety measures," he said.

"It is not only on the corniche, but if any damages to public properties are found anywhere in the city, residents can immediately inform the municipality for prompt remedial steps," Al Mazroui said.

He said additional plastic barriers will offer more protection for children.

A resident said the wide gap in the existing fence is a threat to children. "Once I witnessed a panicked father struggling to save his child from the waters," said Dr Antonio Martinez, who has been living in the city for ten years.

"The child slipped into the water through the wide gaps in the aluminium frames of the fence. The frightened father said later he could not imagine that the child could slip through the holes, and he almost had a heart attack," Martinez said.

A corrosion engineer himself, Martinez said periodic steps should be taken to control corrosion, which can be critical to the safety and the welfare of the general public.

"We have to maximise the conservation of our natural resources to reduce economic losses and to protect the environment," said Martinez, who is also a member of International Association of Corrosion Engineers.

Another resident said the municipality must not delay the periodic maintenance of the fence as it threatens the safety of children.

"They had to fix it as soon as they find the damage", said S.K., a British expatriate who frequently visits the corniche with her children.

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