Abdulrahman Al-Ali Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – Following instructions from Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, local administrations in Makkah and Jeddah are expediting efforts to rebuild a number of unplanned districts in the two cities. Prince Khaled, Emir of Makkah and chairman of the Executive Committee for Projects to Develop Unplanned Districts in the Province, has issued directives to Makkah and Jeddah municipalities to start work for the development of the unplanned districts on a priority basis. The municipalities have already begun receiving owners of properties that will be razed to make way for the development. The Emir has asked the two municipalities to prepare a draft plan for developing the districts according to a time line that does not exceed five years. Prince Khaled stressed the need to expedite work in dealing with the haphazard situation in many of the unplanned districts in the Kingdom's two major cities. He said the Saudi leadership is keen to ensure that the project is accomplished simultaneously with other development projects already under way in Makkah and Jeddah. He said the projects will be carried out conforming to the rules and regulations for developing unplanned districts. Prince Khaled also underscored the need to rectify the status of all residents in unplanned districts before starting the development work. He pointed out that the development of unplanned districts is directly linked to the development of human resources in the region. The prince cited the accomplishments made so far in rectifying the status of the Burmese residents. The Emir said in the next five years the authorities will focus on remaining aspects of the project for developing unplanned districts. Prince Khaled said citizens and officials should work as one team to overcome hurdles in the way of executing these projects. The Executive Committee for Projects to Develop Unplanned Districts in Makkah Province reviewed the work reports, accomplishments and obstacles in achieving the development goals. The committee spelled out the main obstacles it faced, especially with regard to transferring ownership of demolished properties. It said the number of such properties reached more than 26,000 in Makkah alone. The committee called for the appointment of more notaries to speed up this work. The committee members suggested simplifying procedures for approving plans for unplanned districts, including construction of main roads, side streets and the sites for alternative housing for displaced residents. The time limit for the approval of the submitted plans should not exceed two months, they said. Dr. Abdullah Sirajuddin, executive chairman of Al-Balad Al-Amin Company, which is an affiliate of the Makkah municipality, said work for developing the unplanned districts will begin with Al-Sharashif district after Ramadan. He said a study conducted on the district's demographic structure by a specialized agency showed that only 17 percent of the district's population was Saudi. The study discovered that an Australian family had been living on Mount Al-Sharashif for a long time.
