MUSCAT: Authorities in Oman are planning to build a 250,000 m2 complex to house single foreign workers around the city, Muscat Municipality has confirmed on Sunday.
In a statement e-mailed to The Arabian Stories, Sayyid Shabib Al Busaidi, Assistant Director General of Investment and Economic Development at Muscat Municipality said the new “labour city” would tackle the problems of bachelor workers who are now residing in residential areas. According to the Omani law, it is illegal for workers to be housed in residential areas.
The decision to build a labour complex comes following complaints from citizens living in areas like Ruwi, Hamriya and Wadi Adai where large numbers of “semi-skilled workers” stay sometimes illegally in shared accommodation. In the recent past the Muscat Municipality officials had raided many areas in Muscat where bachelors are staying en masse. Those bachelor workers caught residing in residential areas face fine and jail term.
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“Some families have already left their homes and moved to other houses because of the inconvenience causes by migrant workers in their neighbourhood. The Muscat Municipality has also received many complaints from citizens complaining about these issues,” Al Busaidi said.
According to Al Busaidi, private sector companies can submit bids to construct and manage the complex. “We are currently working with Ministry of Housing to allocate a land plot to build the complex in an area of 250,000sq meters. Private sector companies are invited to bid for the construction and management of such cities,” he added.
