Road works draw flak from residents

 The unscientific road works in the Juffair area have evoked protests from the residents, who claimed that it would put the lives of pedestrians in danger. 

A group of residents living on Road 4125, near Al Nasr Club, a few hundred metres away from the US Naval Support Activity Bahrain, commonly known as the American base, criticised the new “poor” planning of the road. “It apparently removed three metres of the busy road’s space to create “ineffective” parking spaces,” they groused.

A resident told DT News that “there’s literarily no space for pedestrians to walk now,” adding that “the space between the entrances of shops that are lined up on the sides of the road and the path of cars is not more than half a metre.” “This would definitely put pedestrians, who have a heavy footfall in the area, in great danger, especially children and the elderly,” he commented.

Residents and shop-owners in the area also complained about the “bizarre” planning of their area, as they were surprised to see drawings on the recently repaved road, indicating that a wide pavement would be constructed in the middle of the road, consuming more of its capacity. They protested against it and the work was immediately halted as per orders from the concerned officials.

“The parking spaces were designed in a very tight and uncomfortable angle. Moreover, the area has become very noisy due to the honking by drivers, who vie on this very narrow road,” they added.