Ajman residents welcome Dh96m roads programme to get rid of the potholes

Motorists and residents say the upgrade is needed, especially as winter rainfall on the undeveloped roads brings many problems.

Poor, potholed and unpaved roads are the bane of residents’ lives in Al Nuaimia, Ajman, and some admit to moving to get away from them. A Dh96m upgrade is under way. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

AJMAN // Roads in Al Nuaimia are benefiting from a two-year, Dh96 million upgrade programme.

The work that started at the end of the third quarter of last year is expected to be completed by the end of 2018, a development that is welcomed by the emirate’s motorists.

“Road and Infrastructure Department is working on developing and establishing roads in various areas in the emirate according to the annual plan for 2017,” said Eng Mohammed Ahmed Al Mheiri, chief of technical affairs at Ajman Municipality.

“The project includes 26 kilometres of internal roads in Al Nuaimia area and a network of rainwater drainage. The project will cost Dh96m,” said Mr Al Mheiri.

Motorists and residents said the upgrade is needed, especially as winter rainfall on the undeveloped roads brings many problems.

Ismail Al Zarooni, an Emirati investor from Sharjah, said that he sold off a two-storey property in the area because people refused to rent there because the roads were so poor.

“I heard five years ago that the roads would be upgraded. When I saw nothing was happened, I sold the building. Residents refused to stay because of the upaved roads and rainfall that clogged the streets. Shops in the ground floor of the building would flood,” the 26-year-old said.

Ezzat El Sayed, an accountant from Egypt, lived in the area for 10 years before moving elsewhere in the emirate.

“Ten years ago, the roads were worse than today, but they are still bad, especially in winter,” the 42-year-old said.

“The rainfall causes big potholes where water gathers, and vehicles are damaged because to these holes. The underside of my little car was damaged because of the roads.”

Ameen Ali, 50, from Egypt, moved to Dubai because he was fed up with the state of the roads.

“Twenty years and the streets of the area are still same. They are not good and paved,” the building contractor said.

“The area becomes bad in summer and winter. In summer, because the streets are unpaved, too much sand and dust gets into houses and dirties up the cars. In winter, the water collects in pools and mud makes driving so hard,” he said.

Mohammed Saeed, a Palestinian resident, said that he sold his small car and bought a 4x4 vehicle to cope with the roads.

“Because the roads are so bad, the underside of my last car was damaged. I could not move to another area, so I decided to buy a 4x4 car,” the 57-year-old said.

“I hope the development of the roads in the area will be finished quickly. When that’s done, our problems are over.”