JEDDAH – Poor infrastructure and inadequate public utility facilities are hampering endeavors to expand residential projects in Jeddah, according to engineering experts. They said this has created a new crisis in the wake of a huge increase in the migration of people from rural areas to big cities, especially Jeddah. Speaking to an Arabic newspaper, Talal Samarqandi, founding member of the architecture division at the Saudi Council of Engineers, warned against the potential danger of carrying out any major expansion of residential buildings without developing infrastructure and utility facilities in most districts of Jeddah. “Vertical expansion of residential buildings is one of the solutions to accommodate more residents, especially in the wake of an increase in the migration of people to major cities. “It is estimated that some 80 percent of the Saudi population live in cities, and the number of people migrating from various regions to major cities rose by 8 percent annually.” Samarqandi said this situation necessitated quick action to increase the capacity of major cities to accommodate the growing population. He is of the view that vertical expansion is the best and least expensive way compared to township projects that require huge investments. The Jeddah mayoralty has granted permission to expand residential facilities in more than 90 percent of residential districts of the city. However, these expansions are not feasible due to the absence of adequate infrastructure and public utility facilities, Samarqandi said. He cited the example of Makkah, where local authorities gave permission 20 years ago to start a major expansion of residential buildings in order to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims. “That expansion was based on the individual efforts of some engineers and not on any specialized studies and statistical reports. “However, due to the increase in vertical expansion of buildings, we requested the Makkah mayor to carry out a study into the scope of vertical expansion and its impact on the districts as well as on ways of improving the living conditions of residents and ensuring a smooth flow of traffic.” Samarqandi noted that a similar situation occurred in Jeddah. “In order to solve the acute shortage of housing, the mayoralty permitted the vertical expansion of buildings. Even though it contributed substantially in meeting the growing demand for housing, it created new problems.” Samarqandi said most districts face problems with outdated infrastructure and inadequate public facilities such as schools, mosques, parking space and recreation facilities. “The permission granted to build high-rise buildings has led to a 250 percent increase in the number of housing units in the city. Hence, it is essential to carry out studies about the viability of districts to accommodate more high-rise buildings as well as renovating or building new infrastructure facilities. Referring to the city's old infrastructure, Samarqandi claimed about 60 percent of the water network was leaking. “This underlines the need for quick action to carry out proper maintenance and renovation of the network, especially in the wake of the continuing water shortage. “Moreover, the sewage network should also be developed in addition to public transport facilities.” Anas Sairfi, chairman of the Jeddah branch of the Urban Studies Society, said a majority of districts in the city lack public utility facilities. “Most districts in Jeddah need infrastructure rebuilding. Giving permission to expand the residential buildings without renovating infrastructure would be counterproductive,” he said. According to Sairfi, high-rise projects would be a great way to solve the city's housing problem. But such projects must be implemented only after adequate infrastructure and utility facilities have been built, he added. The high-rise residential projects on the Corniche are a good example of this. Sairfi underlined the need for developing old districts through the creation of dedicated companies to redevelop the city. “The initiative taken by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to prepare a fully-fledged strategy to expand multi-story buildings and bring down prices of residential units and plots of land would be instrumental in solving the city's housing problem. “The five-year development plan that envisages the construction of 1 million housing units would also contribute substantially in solving housing problems across the Kingdom.”
