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Relocating Occupational Facilities Outside Abu Dhabi Island Is Vital For The Community, Environment |
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The Municipality of Abu Dhabi City praised the response made by owners of occupational activities who took early practical steps towards relocating their activities outside Abu Dhabi Island, and at the same time intensified the awareness drive run in several languages and methods stressing the importance of responding and adhering to the Decision within the specified time frame. It stated that shifting such activities has become vital for the interest of the community as many of those business outlets have become a source of congestion and pollution; thus undermining the health and integrity of the community as well as the excellent modern and urban outlook of Abu Dhabi city. Last May, the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, in coordination with Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council and the Department of Economic Development, endorsed new measures to regulate the commercial outlets practicing occupational and trading activities as well as activities related vehicles. The new policy calls for relocating the occupational outlets from Abu Dhabi Island to Musaffah, and automobiles-related activities to the outskirts of the Island, and grants the owners one year, starting from the renewal of the next license, to carry out the relocation process. Such a move comes in the context of a comprehensive plan to conserve the health and integrity of the community, and the urban appearance of Abu Dhabi city, besides setting the proper platform for upgrading the caliber of services rendered at world-class standards. The campaign, which is launched by the Municipality after announcing the new procedures, encompasses distribution of thousands of guidance leaflets in several languages - including Arabic, English and Indian languages - to the targeted business owners urging them to respond to the new procedures and make early preparations for shifting their operations. The campaign explained to these owners that such a move is vital for their own interest and the uninterrupted continuity of their business, and that the streamlined relocation process would also serve the public interest. A large number of the concerned business owners responded positively and expressed their intention and readiness to shift to the new locations and some of them revealed that they have started taking practical steps in this regard such as booking the proper location and suitable areas for the activity. Others have started notifying their clients inside and outside the UAE of the move so as to not waste time and have thin options when the time of relocation sets in as per the period fixed in the Decision; which is one year from the latest license renewal, as of last May. Worth-mentioning that the relocation Decision includes shifting to Musaffah all occupational trading activities such as the trading in building materials, carpentry workshops, hand carpenters, aluminum workshops, glass workshops, scrap workshops (aluminum, copper, steel and junk materials), and equipment repair workshops. License holders of these activities have been granted one calendar year from the date of last license renewal for relocating the activity to Musaffah, following which practicing the activity will be totally barred within Abu Dhabi Island. The activities to be relocated to the outskirts of Abu Dhabi Island according to the Decision include all activities related to vehicles and cars such as trading in new auto spare parts (except auto dealers), as well as trading in auto tires and accessories, batteries, decorations and accessories, additional parts, cassette recorders and televisions, tire repair, realigning wheel balance (e-balance), washing ’&’ greasing (except ADNOC stations), oil change, seat upholstery, A/C repair, electrical repair, and battery recharging as well as trading in motorbikes and jet skis along with their spare parts and accessories (except dealers), and auto computer testing outlets. The occupational health and technical stipulations set by the specialist committees before the publishing of the Decision accorded due consideration to the allocation of working spaces appropriate to each type and scope of activity; which will also minimizes the phenomenon of using pavement and parking lots that distorts the general appearance of the city and causes environmental pollution. Consideration was also given to the provision of occupational safety requirements in workshops and outlets, and the provision of a healthy working environment such as lighting and ventilation; which serves the integrity of workers as well as customers. This course of action is taken in the interest of safeguarding the health and safety of the community, improving the modern and excellent profile of the capital as a pollution-free city, and avoiding any losses or negative impacts resulting from the continued practicing of such activities within the metropolitan area. For this end, Abu Dhabi Island has been divided into two districts; Central District of Abu Dhabi Island, and the Outskirts of Abu Dhabi Island. Based on this division, the Central District of Abu Dhabi Island, also known as the Central Business District, is the area located between Abu Dhabi Corniche and Al Falah Street, and between Al Mina and King Khalid Abdul Aziz Street. Areas located outside the perimeters of this district form the rest of Abu Dhabi Island. The Municipality of Abu Dhabi City praised the cooperation of those who took early action in preparation for relocating their activities to the areas specified in the Decision and covered by the streamlining process. It considered such action as an enlightened move on the part of these business owners and a contribution to the success of the plan, thus rendering them active stakeholders in the development process. The Municipality pointed out that the new measures, which aimed to serve the community interest, were in line with the relentless efforts of the Municipality to nurture a healthy and clean environment, and upgrade the level of quality services rendered in the context of a strategy to uphold the excellent modern appearance of the capital, and safeguard its authentic urban features towards shaping into a world-class metropolitan city |
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