The Land Control and Encroachment Committee in Jeddah Governorate on Monday confiscated the machinery of three big road construction companies because workers were allegedly found working on government owned land without a license. The companies are working on the Southern Ring Road and the expansion of the Jeddah-Jizan Road. Samir Basabrain, the committee's chairman, said the machinery is being held because the companies had allegedly encroached on government land. Basabrain said the committee caught the workers red- handed using their machinery to excavate and dig trenches in Al-Saq'aa Area without being licensed to do so. He said some companies had previously made similar violations and were fined. He stressed that the penalty is doubled if the violation is repeated. Hilal Al-Sa'idi, an administrative manager of one of the companies, has objected to the committee's action, accusing it of exceeding its powers. He said the company he represents is directly linked to the Ministry of Transportation and that both parties are ruled by a contract defining their rights and obligations. “According to the contract, the company did not commit any violation or breach any clause. Therefore, the committee should have coordinated [its activities] with the Ministry of Transportation instead of surprising us by holding the company's machinery. We have never experienced such a situation although we have carried out many huge contracts in various parts of the Kingdom.” He said the company reserves its right to take any action as stipulated in the contract. Meanwhile, Al-Sa'idi said the encroachments committee has already cleared 33 encroached sites and has given residents a grace period to vacate the area. These sites are blocking the path of the Ring Road.
