Al Jurf to get better roads, lighting, sewerage and water supply

AJMAN // Several infrastructure development projects under way in Al Jurf are transforming the emirate's new town, which locals had complained lacked basic necessities.

More than 2,000 people live there, but they have long said it lacked roads, lighting, sewage networks, piped water and a waste dumping area.

Authorities from Ajman municipality and the planning directorate say their ambitious development programme will solve all these problems. This year, work has begun on improved pavement and lighting.

"We are constructing 11km of internal roads to at a cost of Dh16million in Jurf 21," said a municipality official from the Engineering Department. "Lighting dark roads and building parking areas is also being undertaken."

He said the municipality was embarking on development projects worth Dh300m, many of which are in Al Jurf.

Among the newly paved roads is Sheikh Rashid bin Abdul Aziz Road, which connects the area with the Sheikh Zayed motorway, linking to Sharjah and other emirates.

"Before this road was constructed about six months back, all this area was suffering from heavy dust from the traffic," said Hassan Mohammed Al Baaz, who lives in Al Jurf. "We now need one thing from authorities, and that is lights. The road is very dark at night, especially when driving where there are no houses."

Besides improving the roads, the municipality is building parks.

"We have established three family parks in Jurf 10, 12 and 21 at a cost of Dh15m," said one official. "The municipality plans to have a green belt in the area and plant several trees to help the environment."

Mahmoud Al Arabi, a resident of Jurf 21, said he was looking forward to seeing authorities solving the waste-dumping problem in the area.

"The problem here is that there is no waste-dumping area - everywhere is a dumping place," he said.

The presence of such waste near schools is of concern to teachers as well, according to an educator who requested anonymity. Chief among her worries was the threat of rodents.

"We have in the past asked our cleaners to help remove the rubbish, but construction rubbish is too huge," she said. "They have nowhere to take it. There are times when you can see a big rat running across the school from the rubbish heap and, this being a girls' school, everyone would be afraid and running.

"Our girls cannot beat such big rats. It could take some time for a gatekeeper or a cleaner to come from their rooms to beat it to death."

ykakande@thenational.ae