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Abdullah Al-Qahtani
Okaz/Saudi Gazette
Anyone who visits Tendaha Valley, east of Khamis Mushayt in Asir Province, will notice the underdeveloped roads that lack stoplights, traffic signs and other key road infrastructure, making them perilous for road users.
There is one roundabout in the downtown area but it was built a long time ago and is in poor condition. As a valley, Tendaha has several villages surrounding it and is known for its copious water resources and crops.
On each side of the valley, there are several agricultural areas and farms where different fruit and vegetables grow. The valley is full of natural beauty and has a 24.5-meter-high and 60-kilometer-wide dam with a storage capacity of 4,200,000 cubic sq. meters.
Yet, despite its importance, most roads are unpaved and constitute a risk to anyone who uses them. No water, sewage, lighting and flood drainage projects have been implemented in the area and public healthcare services are modest at best. The valley residents want authorities to build them a public hospital that can serve the over 40,000 people living in the valley and its nearby villages.
Despite its breath-taking beauty and nice weather, Tendaha does not have a single public park where residents and their families can relax. Moreover, there are no stoplights at intersections and the road linking the valley to Khamis Mushayt is pitch dark at night and is known for its sharp curves, making it particularly dangerous for road users.
Abdullah Al-Qahtani, a longtime Tendaha resident, said larger neighborhoods have almost all necessary services but smaller ones do not because the contractors tasked with implementing public work projects are slow.
“We only have few healthcare centers that cannot respond to the needs of all residents. That is why most cases are referred to Khamis Mushayt Hospital,” Al-Qahtani said.
Muhammad Al-Shahrani, another resident, said in order to make up for the lack of traffic lights, authorities have used speed bumps to control traffic, something that only prolongs trips.
“I have to stop at least 22 times during my drive home because of the speed bumps placed on roads to account for the absence of stoplights. It is continuous suffering and I have seen several accidents taking place before my eyes despite the speed bumps. Even pedestrians are at risk of being run over by vehicles,” he said while adding that Tendaha has only one gas cylinder shop that often runs out of cooking gas cylinders, forcing people to go to Khamis Mushayt.
Another cause of the suffering of Tendaha residents is the lack of school buses for boys and girls. Families struggle to get their sons and daughters to school using the unpaved roads.
Badah Muhammad, a resident of the valley, is waiting patiently for an abandoned water project to restart so residents can finally get enough water.
“We are waiting for the water desalination project to be completed so it can provide residents with sufficient water, especially in light of the increasing number of residents and buildings. More is needed to meet the future needs of the increasing population,” Muhammad said.
