Sharjah to compensate commercial outlets affected by road closures

Sharjah: Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) has announced its support of commercial outlets affected by the closure of King Abdul Aziz Road and Al Wahda Road.

The two roads will remain partially closed to traffic for the next two years to facilitate the construction of an underpass and bridge on Al Wahda Road, as part of the fifth phase of the Al Wahda Road Improvement Project, being supervised by the Department of Public Works at Sharjah.

"Based on a decision issued by Sharjah Executive Council, recently, Sharjah Economic Development Department will exempt the commercial outlets affected by the project from trading licence renewal fees," Ali Bin Salem Al Mahmoud, SEDD's General Manager, said.

"SEDD is keen to coordinate with all the concerned governmental parties in order to offer all types of support for the outlets affected by the project. We have conducted a joint survey with the Department of Public Works and identified 185 commercial outlets to be compensated. We will arrange for other inspection tours who will submit assessment reports along with photographs of other outlets in the affected areas. We will continuously follow up the commercial outlets in these areas, in coordination with the Public Works Department, Sharjah Police and all relevant parties to reduce the negative effects caused by the road project," he said.

The Al Wahda Road Project includes the improvement of all intersections along the road and its bridges to allow the ease of traffic movement towards King Abdul Aziz Roundabout in Abu Shagara and the intersection of Shaikh Juma'a in Al Yarmook and Tabiq Al Tayer, which ends with a tunnel in Cultural Square.

Traders on Al Wahda Road welcomed the move and thanked the Sharjah Government. However, some of them said they should be compensated for their losses.

"The licence renewal fee is nominal and its waiver does not mean much to me. I am losing business and unable to pay for even day-to-day expenditure. I think the government should also compensate us more," said the owner of a furniture shop.

Information: Call now

Owners of shops affected by the project can call SEDD's Client Service Department on the toll free number 600 567777 for any inquiries related to outlets in the affected areas.

How have you been affected by the Al Wahda road closure? Do you know anyone whose business has been drastically affected? Have they devised any innovative techniques to restore lost business? Tell us at letter2editors@gulfnews.com or fill in the form bellow to send your comments.

I think it?s a very little compensation from Sharjah government. I must say that there is no limit for the loss from the road closers. I don?t think that Sharjah municipality is capable to handle all construction of the effecting road at a time.
MAJID
Dubai,Pakistani
Posted: August 24, 2008, 11:44

I'd like to thank the Government for thinking and caring for people. This is a very good move.
Samy
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: August 24, 2008, 08:06

We understand about the business getting affected by the roadwork in sharjah..but the residents in sharjah are pretty much affected with this move.Ghubaiba, the most calm place with respect to traffic and children playing all around in this small area, are not safe anymore with hundreds of cars congested in this small area.Children walking to schools in the morning and families walking in the evening for fresh air are no more in safe zone.By the time, the roadworks are done, our lifestyles will change and our healths getting effected with this on serious rates.
Muhammad
Dubai,U.A.E.
Posted: August 24, 2008, 07:45