Ras Al Khaimah to raze 53 old, abandoned houses

Most of these buildings were built in violation of law long time ago.

As many as 53 old, long-abandoned houses will be razed by the Ras Al Khaimah Municipality across the emirate.
"So far, nine of these have been demolished," said Munther bin Shekar Al Zaabi, director-general, RAK Municipality.
"The civic body contacted the owners of all these houses for demolishing or maintaining them so as not to pose risk to people's life."
Some old houses, located in the Old RAK city, have been referred to the Monuments and Museums Department, as part of a plan to turn the entire area into a tourist site.
Earlier, the municipality had demolished several old and abandoned houses across the emirate.
"The plots of demolished houses and buildings are distributed among eligible Emirati nationals so that they can build new houses on them," he pointed out.
"Most of these abandoned buildings have been built in violation of law long time ago in different areas, mostly Al Maamura, Julphar, Dahan, Al Rifaa, Al Jazirat Al Hamra, and Awafi," he said.
"An extensive survey of all these houses has been recently conducted in collaboration with the RAK Police."

Hideout for criminals

Abdulhafeez Jamal, a Palestinian national, said criminals and drug abusers find a perfect hideout at these uninhabited houses. "I have alerted the RAK Police and municipality about them before."
Muhammad Ibrahim, an Emirati national, said they have complained about such abandoned houses. "They are risky and dangerous."
Aisha Darwish, an engineer with the building department at the RAK Municipality, said: "We will either raze or restore these buildings which have mostly become dens and hideouts for absconding people, criminals, infiltrators, and drug abusers, and where rubbish, rodents, and reptiles proliferate."

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• Ras Al Khaimah