Residents have voiced their alarm over reoccurring ground subsidence in Old Muharraq that has led to several cracks in the pavements and, what appears to be, sinking properties.
Muharraq Municipal Council councillors are preparing to vote during their meeting tomorrow to oblige the Works Ministry to prepare a comprehensive study on Old Muharraq, mainly Block 213.
They hope an investigation will identify the cause and come up with solutions to resolve the issue.
“There is substantial visible infrastructure damage to several homes and other properties in Old Muharraq,” said council chairman and area councillor Abdulaziz Al Naar.
“We are not sure as to the extent of the damage caused but we consider it imperative to find out how serious the issue may be.
“There are cases of reoccurring ground subsidence, mainly in Block 213, that has led to cracks and inclinations posing a potential danger for residents and passers-by.
Main Block 213
“An urgent comprehensive study with suggested course of action is being sought from the Works Ministry. The buildings in the area and infrastructure are believed to be among the oldest ever built in the country,” he said.
Mr Al Naar said initial inspections by the authority are not comprehensive but suggest possible causes. “There could be possible leaks from sewage pipelines or rainwater drainage holes, or the damage could be simply due to old faults that have not been identified,” he explained.
“The ground may also have become unstable due to ground instability, deterioration due to humidity and moisture exposure, or the aging factor.
“The use of technological advances may be needed to conduct ground and field tests. Hopefully, any findings will be presented to us so we can get a better understanding of the root causes.”
He added that delaying investigations may have repercussions as Old Muharraq is set for a massive revamp in line with Royal Orders by His Majesty King Hamad at the opening of the National Assembly’s second session of the sixth legislative term earlier this month.
An inclined home in Old Muharraq
Housing and Urban Planning Minister Amna Al Romaihi revealed earlier that the Muharraq City Development Plan included developing an area measuring approximately 1.4 million square metres, restoring 16 buildings of heritage value and completing the Pearling Path for cultural and tourism activities.
The plan also envisages increasing the green area in the region and diversifying its afforestation, by providing 72 green squares covering an area of 12,000sqm to plant 100,000 trees, and developing traffic and pedestrian corridors with a length of 48sqm, in addition to providing parking lots to accommodate residents and visitors to the areas.
The minister said the project included construction of 2,000 housing units to meet the aspirations of Bahraini families, pointing out that the ministry will start restoring and building 300 housing units.
The project’s executive plan also included the launch of a tender to appoint a consultant for the project. Development work procedures will begin in November with expropriations and detailed designs completed by December. Construction work is set to begin in October next year with all project phases completed and delivered by December 2026.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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