RESIDENTS of Makkah are calling on the authorities to take immediate corrective measures to stop the tendency of people leaving their old and damaged vehicles along streets within the city, saying weak-minded people could use them for drug trafficking and other crimes. They also pointed out that the presence of increasing numbers of damaged vehicles along the streets would tarnish the image of the holy city that hosts millions of Haj and Umrah pilgrims from all over the world every year. Writer Bassam Fetaini was the first to blow the whistle on the negative trend. "It's unfortunate that many people abandon their damaged vehicles along the streets of Makkah without thinking about its negative consequences," he said. Fetaini urged the authorities to remove those vehicles within a given timeframe and take punitive action against those who dump them along streets and near parks. "In my knowledge, people abandon their cars in streets when they become very old or irreparable or damaged in floods or accidents," Fetaini told Saudi Gazette. He emphasized the need to set out a law to prevent the embarrassing phenomenon. "I think the trend is growing because of the inaction and negligence of the authorities," he pointed out. Osama Zaitouni, director of information and publishing at Makkah Municipality, defended his organization and said: "The municipality is very much concerned with the issue and has taken measures to remove those vehicles from streets." He said a special committee has been set up under the chairmanship of the Makkah governor to mark all vehicles without number plates. "Owners of such vehicles will be given 15 days to remove them. If they did not, we will ask the contractor to sell them as scrap." Zaitouni said the municipality would deal with damaged vehicles that do not have number plates and advised the public to call 940 to report vehicles spotted on the streets without number plates. "It's the Traffic Department's duty to address the issue of vehicles with number plates," he added. Col. Talaat Al-Mansouri, director of traffic in the holy city, emphasized the need to end this negative phenomenon. "First, our department is part of the committee led by the governor to monitor such vehicles. Second, traffic patrols monitor damaged vehicles and take steps to remove them from streets," he said. Al-Mansouri said his department would soon present a study to the concerned authorities to bring all such damaged vehicles without exemption under the purview of the committee. "People can inform the Traffic Department about such vehicles by contacting 993," he said.
