Demolition of Old Industrial Area in Fujairah Begins New Year

On Notice
The evacuation notice has been posted by the Fujairah Municipality in Arabic, English, Malayalam and Urdu.

Tenants now have only a few days before the demolition drive through the old industrial and commercial buildings commences on 1 January 2011.

Leaseholders are requested to disconnect their electricity, water and telecommunication services as soon as possible.

Repeat Warning
This sign that has been erected for several weeks is not the first notice that leaseholders have received as they have been alerted since 2007 to the mass migration to the new industrial area at Al Hayl.

New Area Unconnected
When asked how they felt about the move to Al Hayl, some owners of industrial businesses expressed two main concerns.

The first obstacle that has hampered the move has been the lack of services. “Why go out to Al Hayl,” one owner of a mechanic business said, “when there are no connections for water, power and phone lines?”

Accommodation Problems
Most of the industrial companies currently provide accommodation for their workers on their operation site. Sometimes as many as 12-15 men are roomed up together behind an industrial garage and the accommodation and food is recognized as part of the salary package.

The Fujairah Municipality has ordered that this trend is not to continue in Al Hayl so owners or their employees are being faced with knowing where they might be accommodated and at what extra expense.

New Plans for Old Area
The old industrial area has become ramshackled and is something of an eyesore when one looks out on the right side as one enters Fujairah city from Dubai. Many of the roads are unsealed and the ones that are have enormous potholes. Little maintenance has gone into this area in the last few years.

The Novotel and Ibis hotels are being built on the edge of this old industrial area so the Municipality obviously has developed new plans for this prime real estate.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus Facebook Page.

Images: Evacuation notice; a view of the old industrial area in Fujairah.