Workers get housing facilities

Dubai Municipality is building two labour accommodation facilities in Al Awir and Al Quoz at a cost of Dh18.8 million.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Industry and Chairman of Dubai Municipality, recently approved these projects, which include a Dh15.71 million project for a labour accommodation at Dubai Central Fruits and Vegetable Market in Al Awir, and a Dh3.09 million labour accommodation in Al Quoz industrial area.

Qassim Sultan, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said the Al Awir project comprises the construction, completion and maintenance of four labour accommodation buildings and the accompanying infrastructure.

The project reflects the the Dubai government's keenness to provide different kinds of support for investors and businessmen, said Sultan. The municipality is preparing to open the market in the Ras Al Khor industrial area early next year.

The project, which caters to labourers working for the traders in the market, Dubai Municipality labourers and truck drivers, will accommodate 2,456 workers in its first phase.

Each of the four buildings with ground and two upper floors will have 70 rooms. Each room can accommodate eight people. There will be additional facilities, such as common kitchens, dining halls and bathrooms.

Sultan said the contract was awarded to a local company for a period of 10 months, including a two-week mobilisation period. The Contracts and Purchasing Department will soon complete procedures for the implementation of the project.

Abdul Rahman Al Sharid, Director of the General Projects Department, said that work on the labour accommodation at Al Quoz, will begin next month and is expected to be completed by August next year.

The project involves the construction of a three-storey building, which includes bedrooms for 204 workers, a central dining room, common kitchen, bathrooms, compound wall, recreational area and provisions for future expansions to accommodate up to 600.