Walkways for light sports could be built around government housing projects under a new parliamentary proposal.
The proposal currently under review by Parliament’s public utilities and environment affairs committee has been forwarded for study to Bahrain’s three municipal councils and the Capital Trustees Board by Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf.
It was approved unanimously by the Southern Municipal Council which believes that walkways should be part of all original blueprints for government housing projects.
“Facilities that help people adopt healthy lifestyles should be always embedded or integrated into planned concepts, whether buildings, infrastructure and homes,” said council services and public utilities committee chairman Abdulla Abdullatif.
“It is like having an environmental-friendly atmosphere where people can breathe fresh air.
“Being healthy involves a lot of aspects and the government should be encouraging that as conditions like diabetes, obesity and hypertension, among other chronic diseases, are increasing in the community.
“We see Parliament’s proposal to have walkways for light sports around new government housing projects and, if possible, introduced into existing residential areas.”
The same council proposed in March this year building footpaths around residential blocks. Councillors said that the new mini-walkway concept could save money for the government, besides providing facilities for residents closer to their homes.
The council then asked Mr Khalaf to test the idea in partnership with the Housing Ministry in Hejayat.
“Both concepts complement each other,” said Mr Abdullatif. “In the end, having more health-orientated facilities gives the country a more beautiful image.”
Housing Minister Bassem Al Hamer told MPs last month that deeds of 1,077 homes being built in the new East Sitra Town, as part of the project’s first phase, have been distributed.
Services
He added that the second phase will include 1,269 homes and 563 residential plots. The third will include 531 undetermined housing services.
Mr Al Hamer said the width of roads have been increased from 12.5m to 15m, while coastal fronts have also been widened to 40m.
“There is a move by the Housing Ministry to accommodate municipal services and widening coastal fronts show that there are plans to have walkways introduced in the new East Sitra Town,” said Mr Abdullatif.
“But that is a distant project that could take a few years and there are projects near completion that could see walkways introduced in them.”
The minister said fewer homes were being allocated following the new construction criteria.
© Copyright 2020 www.gdnonline.com
Copyright 2021 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
