40 abandoned houses demolished in Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah - 69 other dilapidated houses will also be removed.

The Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) municipality has demolished 40 old and abandoned houses at different parts of the emirate.
Munzir bin Shukr Al Zaabi, director of the RAK municipality, said that 69 other dilapidated houses will also be removed. "These include 56 at Julphar area, 10 at Al Maamura area and three at Al Muaireedh."
The plot of destructed buildings will be distributed among eligible Emirati nationals so that they can build new houses on them, he added.
"Most of these abandoned buildings have been built in violation of law long time ago at different areas, mostly Al Maamura, Julphar, Dahan, Al Rifaa, Al Jazirat Al Hamra, and Awafi."
Shaimaa Al Tunaiji, director of the public health department at the civic body, said they will keep removing all the illegal old farms and houses in the near future wherever they are.
"An extensive survey of all these houses has been recently conducted in collaboration with RAK Police."
The department concerned has already specified up to 400 deserted houses some time back at different areas in the emirate, they added.
The RAK municipality has already demolished 64 deserted farms and houses as part of the first phase of the project at different areas.
Mohammed Dhahi, an Emirati national, said criminals and drug abusers find a perfect hideout at these uninhabited houses. "I have alerted the RAK Police and municipality about these houses before."

Ali Saeed, an Emirati national, said they have complained about these abandoned houses. "They do pose a grave risk to public safety and security."

Aisha Darwish, an engineer with the building department at the RAK Municipality, said: "We shall either wreck or restore these buildings which have mostly become dens and hideouts for absconding people, criminals, infiltrators, and drug abusers, let alone rubbish, rodents, and dangerous reptiles."

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com 

• Ras Al Khaimah