More than 50 requests by residents for home renovations, including fire damage repairs and rainproofing works, have been successfully completed under the Towns and Villages Development Project, a councillor said yesterday.
Northern Municipal Council member Abdulla Al Qubaisi, representing the ninth constituency, noted that these projects were carried out between December 2022 and last month during the Sixth Legislative Term.
He noted that the primary objective of these initiatives is to support low-income families while enhancing the quality of urban services to provide residents with a safe and sustainable living environment.
Mr Al Qubaisi
“The official Municipal Work Report revealed that 16 requests for home maintenance, renovation and fire damage repairs for eligible families had been successfully completed,” said Mr Al Qubaisi.
“Additionally, rainproofing works were completed for 36 residents’ requests, helping to protect homes from adverse weather conditions.
“One request is currently under active implementation on site, while another is in the final stages of the tender award process.
“A further three rainproofing requests are currently undergoing administrative and technical procedures, including the preparation of bills of quantities, ahead of implementation as quickly as possible to ensure the safety and security of affected families.”
The Towns and Villages Development Project is a key social initiative by the Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Ministry in Bahrain, aimed at renovating and maintaining low-income family homes, upgrading local infrastructure and improving living standards across various governorates.
It includes repairing, restoring and maintaining deteriorating homes for low-income citizens who cannot afford major upkeep.
Waterproofing one of the houses
It also involves improving local roads, sewage systems, stormwater drainage and public lighting in older residential blocks, and partnering with municipal councils to identify families most in need and fast-track urgent housing maintenance.
Thousands of Bahraini homes are estimated to have benefited from this initiative and have been successfully restored through multi-million-dinar allocations.
Mr Al Qubaisi praised the outstanding community contribution of donors and charitable individuals, whose generous support complemented the official projects by funding the renovation of an additional 10 homes for low-income families within the constituency.
He expressed his sincere appreciation for their generosity, which reflects the values of social solidarity and genuine community partnership that distinguish Bahraini society in supporting those most in need.
He extended his deepest thanks and appreciation to the Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Ministry, led by Minister Wael Al Mubarak, along with all ministry officials and engineers.
He commended their continued co-operation and dedicated efforts in overcoming challenges and accelerating the implementation of municipal projects aimed at serving citizens.
He also affirmed that the ninth constituency will continue to co-ordinate closely with the relevant authorities to expedite responses to urgent requests and critical cases, in line with residents’ aspirations and in support of sustainable development across Bahrain’s towns and villages.
The GDN reported in April that families whose homes were damaged in fires – and who are grappling with unresolved building violations – may soon be able to rebuild their properties, following the approval in principle of a humanitarian proposal by the authorities.
The Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Ministry has given initial approval to a plan put forward by Mr Al Qubaisi, allowing exceptional building licences for fire-affected homes with existing violations under the Towns and Villages Development Project.
This initiative aims to support vulnerable families, including widows, orphans and residents of shared properties, by enabling reconstruction without lengthy administrative delays linked to long-standing violations.
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