Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH – Pollution and chaos have affected the Batha area in Riyadh and destroyed the beauty it used to have in the past. After it was labeled as a commercial station for its vitality and bustle, it is now suffering from abuses, traffic congestion, a lack of hygiene, and encroached sidewalks that have stalls promoting food, clothing and utensils in bad conditions.
These stalls lack minimum health standards, and the area in general attracts a large number of illegal overstayers. Parents are urgently demanding authorities to fix the situation of the neighborhood.
Abu Fahd believes that the previous Batha neighborhood will not come back, rejecting the idea to transfer the market. He thinks that the area can be but remodeled considering Batha as an example of foreign control of the country›s economy.
He explained that expatriates dominate 70 percent of the shops, pointing out that the majority of the shops are under the ownership of Saudis but actually are run and operated by foreign residents. “The real problem is that expats have become familiar with how to escape from inspection campaigns from time to time,” he said.
Abu Fahd mentioned that the offenders disappear during campaigns, and quickly return to their positions as if they were aware of their departure, and so continue the scene, calling for a solution to the problem at its roots via deportation of labor from the country.
Saleh Saad stressed that Batha became similar to an outside country because of the multiplicity of nationalities, indicating that the entry and exit from it has become difficult because of traffic jams, especially during peak times. Saleh criticized the large number of ruined cars in the streets of Batha and in the confusion caused by traffic.
He demanded the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to intensify control over the stores in Batha, especially those that provide food, such as restaurants and fast food, and compel the application of health requirements.
He stressed the importance of intensifying security presence, in Batha to adjust things, educating the labor of Saudi regulations.
