Road users have the right to sue the Jeddah Mayoralty and claim financial compensation at the Board of Grievances if they suffer any physical injuries or damage to their cars from potholes, says Salih Al-Ghamdi, a legal expert. Hassan Al-Zahrani, Deputy Chairman of the Municipal Council in Jeddah, held a special session on this problem in wake of an uproar from residents. He said the council and officials in charge of roads at the mayoralty had reviewed the roads projects and transportation in the governorate. At the meeting the council asked the mayoralty to provide a timetable for the maintenance and asphalting of roads in all the city's districts. The council also stressed the importance of carrying out maintenance work and reducing the underground water in some streets, which is the root cause of the problem. Al-Zahrani said pedestrians are also not safe from the damage caused by the potholes because some of them sustained broken bones because of the lack of safety signs at these potholes. There have also been reports of pregnant women miscarrying after falling into these holes. Motorists have been complaining for years about the damage to their cars from these potholes. Some have claimed it costs them between SR500 and SR700 a month to buy spare parts and change tires. The life expectancy of their cars has also been shortened. A source at the mayoralty said it invites bidders periodically to carry out a number of service projects in the governorate such as asphalting and lighting. The mayoralty is currently tackling the problem of the potholes in several districts. He said the mayoralty has started carrying out high quality projects to put an end to these problems. He said the service department at the mayoralty receives about 500 complaints a month about potholes. The new roads being constructed by the mayoralty are based on the latest international specifications and will end this problem gradually, he added. __
