Manama:Car owners in Qatar who put a for-sale note on their vehicles will inevitably find another sign on the window — a QR5,000 fine ticket- under a new crackdown campaign.
The decision was reportedly taken by the municipality of the capital Doha and the traffic directorate to ensure that roads and open areas remained free of for-sale cars.
“There will be a zero-tolerance policy towards selling cars outside showrooms,” Ali Al Hajiri, the head of public control, said, quoted by local media.
“When we impose tough penalties, it is simply because we want to deter abusers and curb this growing phenomenon that is now spreading to various areas.”
According to the official, the move to take punitive action against the owners of vehicles that carry “for sale” signs and are parked on the side of the road or in open areas was based on a 1974 law concerning the occupation of road space and the violation of municipal cleanliness.
“Cars for sale should be taken to showrooms that exist in several areas throughout Qatar. The showroom is also very important in case there is a dispute between the seller and the buyer because there will be an arbiter, unlike in public areas,” the official said.
He said that the municipality has counted around 8,200 neglected cars within the Doha perimeters.
“They of course cause lots of traffic problems and, in some cases, have even turned into dumping sites where people threw garbage,” Al Hajiri said.
The next crackdown campaign will target mechanics’ garages.
“Fines will be imposed on garages that leave cars outside,” the official said.
