A proposal to cancel a designated pedestrian walkway in Zallaq and release the land for potential residential use has been unanimously approved by the Southern Municipal Council.
The recommendation, submitted by Zallaq councillor Hamad Al Zoubi, concerns a plot in Block 1056 adjacent to Roads 5607 and 5664 that had been earmarked for a walkway.
It has now been referred to Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak for review.
Council records indicate that the walkway project is unlikely to be implemented, with no budget allocated for its construction in the near future.
Mr Al Zoubi said the proposal was prompted by repeated requests from residents who believe the reserved land could be put to better use.
“There is already the Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Walkway serving the area, making the proposed route largely unnecessary,” he said.
“Residents have approached us over the years seeking a solution because the land has remained reserved without any development taking place.
“Their main request is for the plots to be subdivided and made available so homeowners can expand their properties and better accommodate growing families.”
He added that the move would address a practical need while maintaining pedestrian access through the existing walkway network.
Southern Municipal Council services and public utilities committee chairman Ali Al Shaikh said members had thoroughly reviewed the proposal before unanimously recommending its endorsement.
“The committee found that the area is already served by the Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Walkway and that the proposed walkway has remained unimplemented for years,” he said.
“With no budget allocation and no indication that the project will proceed, we agreed that it was appropriate to recommend that the ministry study the cancellation of the proposed walkway and consider alternative uses that would benefit residents.”
Mr Al Shaikh said the council is keen to ensure municipal land is utilised efficiently and in line with community needs.
“The proposal reflects residents’ aspirations and seeks to make the best use of land that has remained idle for a prolonged period,” he added.
The affected site includes properties numbered 11002096, 11003047 and 11002843 in Block 1056.
According to the proposal, cancelling the reservation would allow authorities to examine the possibility of dividing the plots and allocating them to neighbouring homeowners, enabling house extensions and easing space constraints faced by some families.
Councillors argue that the move would unlock the potential of unused land while preserving public access through existing pedestrian facilities.
Residents are now awaiting a decision on whether the long-reserved plots would finally be released for development.
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