Road subsidence and water accumulation are hindering elderly residents and people of determination in the Northern Governorate’s ninth constituency, a top councillor has said.
Northern Municipal Council member Abdulla Al Qubaisi has urged the Works Ministry to urgently respond to requests submitted for the maintenance of roads in front of residents’ homes.
He emphasised that waterlogging from residents washing their homes and vehicles in certain locations has created significant mobility obstacles, preventing elderly residents and people of determination from getting into and out of their vehicles safely.
He called for these sites to be addressed without delay to protect both public safety and the area’s civilised appearance.
“The primary causes of these severe ground depressions are a combination of factors, most notably the long-term effects of previous water leakages that had been repaired by service authorities and contractors,” said Mr Al Qubaisi.
“However, the resurfacing and reinstatement of the asphalt at those locations were not carried out to the required engineering standards, resulting in a deterioration of the road surface and the formation of depressions that retain water from daily washing.
“The kingdom allocates substantial annual budgets and invests significant financial resources in maintaining and developing road networks across the country.
“However, improper practices by some citizens and residents – particularly the continuous and indiscriminate wasting of water onto public roads – cause extensive damage to this infrastructure and accelerate its deterioration, ultimately wasting national resources and undermining considerable efforts invested in public services.”
Mr Al Qubaisi called on the Northern Municipality to strengthen its public awareness and guidance efforts across residential neighbourhoods through targeted campaigns encouraging citizens and residents to reduce water wastage and correct these negative practices.
He stated that these practices directly affect road quality and the overall appearance of the area and affirmed that public awareness and genuine community partnership are the cornerstone of protecting public facilities and ensuring their long-term sustainability.
He also commended the Works Ministry maintenance teams for their prompt response in recent months and for repairing several potholes that had been reported within the constituency.
“This reflects the ministry’s commitment to responding positively to residents’ concerns,” said Mr Al Qubaisi.
“At the same time, carrying out isolated patch repairs without resurfacing and re-levelling the entire roadway leaves the underlying problem unresolved.
“Therefore, I urge maintenance teams to act swiftly by milling and resurfacing the remaining low-lying sections and restoring them to the correct engineering level.
“Site inspections and residents’ complaints have revealed considerable hardship, as the lowered ground level near homes causes water to accumulate outside properties.
“This creates serious difficulties for elderly residents and people of determination when entering or exiting their vehicles, particularly when they are forced to cross stagnant pools of water resulting from daily cleaning activities.
“Such conditions increase the risk of slips and falls, while also creating environmental and public health concerns, including the breeding of insects near living areas.”
Mr Al Qubaisi added that maintaining the safety and sustainability of roads is a shared national responsibility that requires the combined efforts of service authorities and the wider community.
“We are confident that officials at the Works Ministry are committed to speeding up the outstanding requests and addressing previous resurfacing defects to bring this hardship to an end.
“We also call on residents to avoid wasting water beyond the boundaries of their properties out of consideration for the health and wellbeing of elderly residents and people of determination within the constituency and to help provide them with a safe and accessible environment.”
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