Saudi Gazette report
JEDDAH — Businessmen engaged in selling old car parts in the Tashlih market (the junkyard of old and damaged vehicles) in Briman, north of Jeddah, have expressed their readiness to move the facility to a new place provided it should have the necessary services and infrastructure.
Jeddah Municipality has stopped its plan to forcefully close down the Tashlih market in Briman and remove the junkyard from there after a court favored businessmen in a lawsuit. The court will issue its verdict after hearing the viewpoints of the municipality and businessmen next month.
Faiz Othman Al-Amri, owner of a junkyard in Tashlih, said: “We are not against moving to another place. But we want a new facility to do the business in a better way.” He said the proposed new place is just a white land that lacks facilities, asphalted roads and other services.
Abdul Aziz Al-Harbi, another businessman, said the municipality was forcing them to shift to the new area, which is not suitable for the business for different reasons. “If we are not willing to go there then how can we expect customers to come there,” he asked.
Al-Harbi said the municipality has to develop the new area providing it with the necessary infrastructure, including lighting and roads.
Speaking about the court ruling, he said: “We were successful in convincing the judge through our lawyer Walid Al-Tawil to issue an order to stop the municipality’s plan to forcibly shift Tashlih to the new place.”
Mohammed Al-Baqami, spokesman of the municipality said his organization decided to shift Tashlih to Abujaala, located about 70 km south of the present market, on the directive of Governor Prince Mishaal Bin Majed. A committee comprising representatives from the municipality, governorate, civil defense and Jeddah police was set up for the purpose.
“The shifting was planned to realize public interests,” Al-Baqami said.
Lawyer Al-Walid said the court ordered to stop shifting the market to Abujaala because the new place was not ready to accommodate the market. “We expect the court would issue its verdict during the next session on Nov. 23.”
Traders involved in the business want to shift the market to a suitable place in north Jeddah instead of south to make it easily accessible to customers.
They have also approached the Jeddah Municipal Council to mobilize support. “We have heard complaints of businessmen, including the higher rents charged by the investor who is developing the new market,” a council official said expressing hope that an acceptable solution would be reached by authorities to settle the issue.
