Boats parked in Hamad Town spark concerns, prompting residents to call for immediate action

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: mail@newsobahrain.com

In Hamad Town, a good three kilometres from the nearest coast, residents like Hassan wake up to boats crowding their streets, taking up parking spaces.

“For the past decade, I’ve had to walk half a kilometre just to reach my car — it’s like living in a dockyard,” he says, as neighbourhoods turn into makeshift marinas, leaving locals desperate for a solution.

At least 30 houses on Road 536 in Block 1205, along with many others across Bahrain, now find their streets resembling dockyards rather than the peaceful neighbourhoods they once knew. Hassan notes that, despite the disruption, the parking problem has brought neighbours together in shared worry.

Scarce

“Parking spaces are so scarce that we’re often left to park far from home,” he adds. “Every morning, I look out my window, and there they are — these big boats taking up our parking spaces,” Hassan told The Daily Tribune. “It’s no longer fun for our kids to play outside, and even getting out of the driveway can be tricky.”

This scene is unfolding across Bahrain, with fishing boats creeping into residential areas. The Law on Road Occupancy, introduced under Decree No. 2 of 1996, forbids obstructions that risk public safety or block traffic, imposing fines of up to BD500. However, attorney Taqi Hussain points out, “Without regular enforcement, it’s barely more than a rule on paper.”

Necessity

For fishermen, parking near homes has become a necessity due to limited coastal space.

“We’ve always relied on the sea,” says one fisherman, “but now there’s hardly any room left for us to dock.”

This growing tension reflects the clash between Bahrain’s seafaring heritage and modern residential needs.

Northern Municipal Council member Abdulla Al Qubaisi has proposed converting unused state land into temporary boat parking — a plan supported by the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs, the Coastguard, and local councils.

“If we don’t work together on this, these boats will keep clogging up our streets,” he told The Daily Tribune.

Eager

Residents like Hassan are eager for change.

“It’s not just a boat here and there,” he says. “Some days, there’s a whole line of them, creating real hazards.” For Hassan and his neighbours, the wait for action has gone on long enough.

“Community cooperation sounds good, but unless we see it happening soon, our patience will wear thin,” he added. “We’re looking to the authorities to take control.”