By Abdulaziz Ghazzawi
Okaz/Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH — Any visitor to Balubaid residential project in North Obhur will be shocked by the visible pollution as well as the despicable scenes in a modern neighborhood that is expected to have better infrastructure facilities and a high level of hygiene.
According to its residents, what is happening in their neighborhood is simply shocking. The streets are already worn out with asphalt eroded and darkness covers the area immediately after sunset.
The residents said both the municipality and the municipal council were ignoring their neighborhood.
They said the detestable conditions are particularly visible on the road leading to Banafie Mosque situated after the Batterjee Medical College.
Public parks in the area are suffering from total negligence and they have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other insects, they added.
"The derelict roads have damaged our cars. We are also suffering due to the darkness that overwhelms the area after sunset because the streets are not illuminated," said Abu Younnis, a Saudi resident.
He called on the municipality and the members of the municipal council to visit their neighborhood to see for themselves the official negligence that is destroying their district.
Abu Younnis said the National Water Company (NWC) has provided water through its network to part of the neighborhood while the other parts have to rely on water trucks. "The water shortage in summer will aggravate their problems," he added.
Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, another resident, said he never expected things to be so bad in the neighborhood especially as it is located inside a posh district.
"The basic infrastructure is not complete. Modern communication is almost impossible with the absence of the Internet coverage," he said.
Ghamdi said it was obvious that the municipality and the municipal council were both ignoring North Obhur because it is located far away from the city center.
Salim Bin Ali complained of the lack of cleanliness and said garbage remains in the streets for so many days without being removed, spreading a bad stench in the entire neighborhood.
"There is also an acute shortage of water in some areas. With summer approaching, the situation will further worsen," he said.
