No slowing down on DM villa campaign

Denying the rumours going around in this regard, Omar Mohammed AbdulRahman, Head of Building Inspection Section in the Buildings Department said that the campaign is very much on and more areas are being covered.

"We are only concerned about the safety and security of the residents as well as the environment. Economic recess is not a factor in carrying on the campaign against sharing villas." he said.

"We have already given notices to around 4,000 villas and we are disconnecting electricity and water supply in 10-20 villas every day," said AbdulRahman.

He said the inspectors of the Buildings Department are going around in many places to check if there is any violation. "We are now concentrating on Al Barsha area," AbdulRahman said.

"We had started the campaign against bachelors staying in family residential areas in 2005. As part of that campaign we had issued warnings that many families staying in one residential unit after making alterations inside the building illegally would not be allowed. It is against the rules and regulations regarding building safety as well as the social and urban planning norms," he said.

"Service amenities like water, electricity and sewage are provided according to the affection plan of the buildings. When the residential unit is used by more families against the plan it becomes difficult to manage resulting in the accumulation of waste, affecting public safety and environment."

said AbdulRahman.

"The Municipality had notified the building owners and real estate companies not to rent out these premises to bachelors and to allow only one family to stay in a single residential unit. We had also informed them that all services would be disconnected and the future transactions with them would be stopped," he said.

Regarding flats, he said there is a Municipality regulation on the number of people who can stay in a residential unit.

"If anybody complains about huge number of families staying in a small area in a single flat creating social problem for neighbours, the Municipality will conduct inspections and take necessary actions," said AbdulRahman.

"So far, we have not started any campaign against flats being shared by families. There are rules and regulations regarding environment and public safety in flats. Partitions are not allowed without the Municipality permission," he said.