Bus owners lodge complaint with Chamber of Commerce

Sharjah: The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has asked the Municipality why it fined about 20 bus owners whose drivers were picking up workers in Al Rolla.

Bus owners lodged a complaint with the Chamber after they were issued a Dh5,000 fine per bus by the municipality.

Rashid Al Kous, from the Chamber's Trade and Promotion Sector, said, "We are waiting for the municipality to respond. Once we get answers, the issue will be discussed at the Municipal Council."

S.S., who owns 27 buses, said that since the fines were implemented he had to divert the routes, which now pass through the Corniche Road instead of Al Rolla.

"It is very painful because it is affecting business and we cannot keep suffering. Expenses are going up and Sharjah is turning into a place with an unfriendly business atmosphere," he said, adding that the buses have to pass through Sharjah because the labour camp is in Ajman, especially as some workers live in Al Rolla.

As previously reported in Gulf News the construction companies in Sharjah were fined for sending buses into residential areas to pick up and drop off workers. A spokesperson for Sharjah Municipality said the reason behind issuing the fines came as a result of receiving numerous complaints from families in residential areas about workers living in their districts.

Some buses made pick-ups at 4am.