The recent explosion in Riyadh has spread waves of fear among citizens all over the country. Every day, heavy trucks ply on roads with reckless drivers at the steering wheel. Gas stations and shops dealing with inflammatory substances very close to residential areas continue to be a source of fear. There have been several calls to either shut them down or relocate them to remote areas. I just received a letter from a citizen who lives in the Taibah neighborhood (known as Al-Ruhaili neighborhood). It is a big area that lacks a police station, Civil Defense station, polyclinic and a bridge linking the north with the east to reduce traffic congestion. Authorities have not given full attention to these areas even after this week's horrific tanker explosion in Riyadh. Residents of this neighborhood are subject to countless risks. There is a gas station in the neighborhood where heavy trucks transporting fuel, gas and other dangerous chemicals stop by. Water tankers, Umrah and Haj buses and citizens use the station and frequently stop for food or refueling. When the station becomes crowded with vehicles, the main roads in the neighborhood get clogged. The neighborhood is in dire need of organization and lacks necessary safety measures. Still the authorities have not done anything about it. The neighborhood is a time bomb. Al-Ruhaili is not the only neighborhood that has such problems and risks. The Riyadh explosion should remind us that it is important to do something about the neighborhoods that have gas stations because they are time bombs.
