Wednesday, Apr 07, 2010
Gulf News
Sharjah Khalid Port and the Dhow Port along the Sharjah Creek will be relocated to Al Hamriya Port and a new road will be constructed in the area.
The ports were recently shifted to the other side of the creek to be relocated to Hamriya port, making space for the area to breathe.
Khalid port in the old area of Sharjah was once jammed with dhows coming from Iran to load and reload goods. The area was cleared early this week. The dhows will operate from Al Hamriya port.
The Sharjah public works department shifted the old dhow port in front of the Iranian market to Al Hamriya port to build a bridge that will link Al Jubail area to the other side of the creek near the Sharjah courts.
An official said the road will be closed soon to build a new road and bridge that will be connected to the Ring Road.
"The Al Wahda Street project is ready and will be open to the public. We will start working on the Al Jubail project now," said the official.
The road was once jammed with cargo hand loaded onto these dhows and shipped to places such as India, Iraq and Iran. The road was always clogged with cars, causing massive traffic jams.
The dhows were berthed on the creek in front of the old market. The port is one of the oldest in the country. It was a meeting place in the 1900s where traders dealt in charcoal in return for rice and materials brought by traders from India and Iran. Residents praised the move as this will give more space and better views. "The road is narrow and needs to be widened. It is always jammed with cars and cranes," said Ali Essa, who lives in Ajman and works in Sharjah at the Khalid Port.
Another motorist said that this is a vital area as it links Sharjah with Ajman, but it is very difficult to drive there.
"The area has also become polluted and the view is not nice," said a resident of Al Majarra in front of the dhow port.
By Bassma Al Jandaly
Gulf News 2010. All rights reserved.
