Saudi Gazette report

ABHA — The authorities have begun investigations into the reasons behind the delay in shifting the industrial zone in Abha from its current location on King Fahd Road to a site allocated by the municipality several years ago, Al-Watan newspaper reported.

The investigation was launched on the directive of Asir Emir Prince Faisal Bin Khalid, who stressed the need to quickly complete the move.

The current industrial city in Abha is located in a residential neighborhood between Abha and Khamis Mushayt. The headquarters of Abha Chamber of Commerce and Industry exists in the area.

Setting up industries close to populated areas is against the law. The industrial zone close to the eastern entrance of Abha gives a bad image of the tourist city, and it does fit into the developments being witnessed by the region.

The region receives thousands of visitors and tourists annually, and the current industrial site causes inconvenience to international and local delegations that come for conferences, seminars and workshops in Abha, which is the most important urban center in southern Saudi Arabia.

The provincial council is expected to study in coming days the possibility of transforming the current industrial zone into a tourism and entertainment hub.

This task will be assigned to governmental and private bodies with the participation of the Investment Council and the Chamber of Commerce as well as investors from within the region and outside.

The aim is to provide a hub for leisure activities keeping pace with the ongoing reforms in the Kingdom and the qualitative leap in the tourism and entertainment fields in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.

The Abha industrial zone has been neglected for a long time, making it a safe haven for illegal workers as well as a hub for unlawful commercial activities, residents say.

A number of them described the chaotic atmosphere in the industrial zone a shame because many violations take place there under the nose of the supervising authorities without any intervention from their side. Illegal foreign workers hide in the alleys of the industrial area and come out to work at specific times when no authorities will spot them.

The location has also become a health hazard that threatens people living in the neighboring areas. Residents demand that those responsible for delaying the transfer of the industrial zone should be held accountable.

Resident Saad Al-Bishri said Abha’s current industrial zone is a time bomb that threatens thousands of people who live close to it. “It combines chaos and negative practices that call for intervention by the official agencies to find urgent solutions,” Al-Bishri said.

The investment department of Abha Municipality has announced a tender for the management and operation of the new industrial zone, which is located on Bani Malik Road, on an area of 510,757 square meters.

The municipality expects the new site to develop into an important commercial area soon.

Director of the Department of Comprehensive Control Abdulaziz Al-Ramthi stated on his official Twitter account the shifting of the industrial zone would take place soon.

Hussain Al-Shahrani explained that the current situation of Abha’s industrial zone is dreadful because the roads were full of holes and bumps. A large number of damaged cars have been on the roads for several years without any interference from the competent authorities to address the issue, he said.

“All of which distorts the image of Abha as a center of tourism,” Al-Shahrani said, while expressing his hope that the new site would address all the problems that exist in the current industrial zone.