Abdullah Al-Dani Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Residents of Jeddah's Al-Aziziyah neighborhood have complained that there are too many potholes and sags in local streets. These streets were dug up to lay down pipes for drainage but were not re-asphalted properly, they claimed. The low-level parts of the streets gather water and ruin the asphalt, causing holes that damage vehicles, said the residents. They demanded that companies responsible for digging up the roads be held accountable for such damage. Spokesman for Jeddah Municipality Abdulaziz Al-Nahari said there is continuing correspondence between the municipality and the contractors. Contractors are not paid their final dues unless they provide necessary documents proving all work was accomplished according to specifications in their contracts, he said. He however admitted that there are coordination problems with some contractors who do not keep the municipality updated of their projects. Some contractors dig up streets again after the municipality has just finished paving them, he said. He added the municipality monitors and follows up these projects and communicates with the concerned contractors. President of the Saudi Geological Survey Dr. Zuhair Nawab said sags exist in the streets of Jeddah and other coastal cities due to saturation in the soil. However, this is not an obstacle to infrastructure projects, he claimed. Roads and buildings can be constructed in such conditions if the necessary precautions are taken. He blamed contractors for sags in the streets, as they do not take into account the deep soil, only the surface soil. In addition, they do not use the proper resistant materials, he said. He said these kinds of problems do not occur in coastal cities such as Bangkok and Mumbai. He said projects should not be accepted as complete until it is established that contractors have fulfilled the terms of their contracts. Guarantees are also required to ensure completed projects are durable, said Nawab.
