14 May 2008
Dubai: Dubai Municipality will open by mid-June the temporary Naif Souq, located 500 metres from the original souq which was destroyed in a fire early last month.
Shop owners need not pay additional rent until the new Naif Souq is ready in eight months.
Juma Khalifa Al Fuqaei, Director of the General Maintenance Department said the temporary souq is being built in a parking lot in the Naif area.
The parking lot will be reopened after the new permanent souq is built.
"Construction of the temporary market is progressing well ahead of schedule. As much as 40 per cent of the work has already been completed. We hope to finish the remaining work by mid-June. Nearly 150 workers are employed here in two shifts - morning and evening," said Al Fuqaei.
He added that there will be 200 shops in the temporary markets.
Meanwhile, he noted that the design of the new Naif Souq, which was recently approved by Dubai Municipality, will incorporate features of the local architecture.
The building will have two air-conditioned floors and there will be a car parking area around the main building for souq visitors.
Naif Souq in Deira was one of the oldest traditional markets in Dubai, having gotten its name from its proximity to the ancient Naif Fort.
The 60,000 square foot market was also popularly referred to in Arabic as the "Souq Sanadiq" [box market] because of the box-type shops before they were renovated in the 80s.
By Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2008. All rights reserved.
