Parliament to vote on fund for old neighbourhood upgrades

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A proposal to set up a statebacked fund, partly financed by the private sector, to revamp Bahrain’s ageing residential areas is due for a vote in Parliament on Tuesday.

Put forward by MPs Hamad Al Doy, Mohammed Mousa, Hassan Ibrahim, Abdulwahid Qarata and Bader Al Tamimi, the plan calls for action on crumbling streets, poor services and long-neglected neighbourhoods.

The fund would be used to improve what is already in place and bring older districts up to standard, with public and private backing combined.

Modern infrastructure

The proposal points to a lack of modern infrastructure in these areas, where repair work is slow and patchy, and where long-term plans for improvement are either missing or have yet to materialise.

In its response, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture said it provides services to residential zones across Bahrain and continues to work on improving them.

It noted that 207 public facilities are currently in use, including parks, play areas, walkways, rest stops and markets. These projects, it said, are supported by government funding and serve the wider public.

New projects

Several new projects were also listed, including the redevelopment of the Water Garden in the Capital Governorate, a major public garden in Muharraq, the revamp of Ain Al Hunainiyah in the south, and the newly opened Barbar Park in the north.

The ministry said it continues to maintain and upgrade public gardens and shared spaces, expand greenery and improve the overall appearance of neighbourhoods.

Cleaning services are provided by private contractors, who supply rubbish bins, collect waste and deploy staff to sweep streets and carry out related work.