Ashwag Al-Tuwairqi Okaz/Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — An overwhelming majority of people living near main streets and shopping centers in Makkah have denounced the behavior of some who would put cement blocks and metal chains in front of their buildings to take over parking lots for their cars and prevent others from using the space. Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, they called on officials in municipalities and traffic police departments to put an end to these actions and make parking lots available for everyone. Some even suggested penalties for those who take over a parking lot and prevent others from using it. Faisal Hatrishi, a resident of Al-Otaibiah District, said many residents of his neighborhood reserve spaces in parking lots using cement blocks, chains and shackles and sometimes use locks. People search for parking spaces in far away areas, which consumes both time and energy. "Makkah is very crowded and traffic is bad, but that does not justify this uncivilized behavior. Parking lots are public spaces and should be accessible to everyone. It is not an excuse that people do not want strangers parking near their homes and cars," Hatrishi added. Ahmed Al-Asiri, an Al-Tandbawi District resident, said: “Parking lots in the neighborhood are dedicated to all cars and not to specific people. Everyone has a right to access these public spaces and no one should be allowed to take this right from others. It has become a problem to park far away from one's house because of shortage of parking space, which might subject cars to thefts and vandalism. Also, lack of space in parking areas forces some to park on the sides of the roads, which causes terrible traffic jams and sometimes accidents.” Shaie Al-Ahmadi, a resident of Al-Aziziyah, echoed Al-Asiri's grievance. He said: "Owners of commercial stores also take over parking space in front of their shops. They use metal rods that carry signs that say “Reserved parking for visitors only” to enable employees and customers to have easy access to the shop. He said that this was illegal and against the municipality's laws and regulations, and it leads to congested roads and parking spaces. Jamaan Al-Zahrani, Fawzi Skat, and Hashim Al-Amir told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that this problem has become a nightmare for many Makkah residents. They stated that the municipality did not think about parking space when planning the city and that is why the problem persists. They blamed officials for the lack of vision and called on municipalities to take the rapid expansion and growth of the city under consideration. Public relations and media spokesperson at Makkah Municipality, Osama Zaytuni, said blocking parking space using cement or metal pieces or chains is against regulations. He reiterated that parking lots are public spaces and that the municipality has tasked supervisory field teams to check such violations and hold people accountable for their actions.
