Okaz/Saudi Gazette

BURAIDAH — Municipalities are keen to upgrade and develop the entrances of cities because the entrance is the gateway to any community and the first thing that meets any visitor to paint the initial impression. But good impressions do not happen in Buraidah; a city which receives a lot of visitors but suffers environmental and visual pollutants at various entrances. Visitors driving in the south of Qassim first meet industrial and random workshops, as well as an overwhelming amount of pollution. A visitor to Buraidah from Al-Jauf faces cattle sheds and factories.

Al-Harbi described the entrances of Buraidah as "distorted" and unfit for a large city such as Buraidah. He pointed out that the northern entrance is full of cattle barns and some factories that distort the view of the city and give a negative impression of Buraidah.

He considered that the southern entrance for those coming from Unaizah in a worse condition since it is full of workshops and factories that spill pollution into Buraidah, despite the allocation of an industrial zone.

Al-Harbi said, "To be fair, I find that the western entrance has become suitable because it is new and does not have workshops and random selling areas." He called on the Qassim Municipality to pay attention to the entrances of the cities because these areas offer the best possible first impression to guests and neighbors.

Bassim Al-Ra'ouji criticized the random chaos that appears clearly at the entrances to the city. He said there are many companies, agencies, heavy equipment, workshops and livestock barns at those entrances especially on the northern side welcoming those visiting the city. He wondered about the fate of budgets allocated to the city's development and beautification.

Al-Ra'ouji said, "Budgets were spent on the internal streets of the city and made the infrastructure look good. What remains now is working on these entrances, especially on the southern entrance and the King Faisal Road. These need intensive work by the municipality of the Qassim to appear better and more modern."

Abdulaziz Al-Mushagih said efforts are being made by the Qassim Municipality, the Transport Department and the Municipal Council to improve these gates.

He added, "But frankly, the process of developing these areas is going very slowly. We hope that these matters will change, especially that the emir of the region is interested in forming a committee on the visual distortions of Buraidah city, as well as the committees that were formed to follow up on the projects."

He called on the municipality to develop and implement improvement plans for these gates in the best way and work to upgrade them, so as to keep up with the urban and economic development witnessed by the city of Buraidah.