ILLEGAL STRUCTURES TO BE RAZED

CLEAN UP: Demolished structures include abandoned buildings and fences

The Muscat Municipality has started razing illegal structures and abandoned houses that pose threat to safety and mar the beauty of the city.

While issuing a warning, a civic official said, “We cannot afford to have structures of any kind that do not comply with the municipality building norms.”

The Follow-up Department of the municipality, in cooperation with Public Prosecution and the Royal Oman Police (ROP), recently implemented 75 judicial rulings in Bausher in this regard.

According to a statement by the municipality, the violations ranged from small irregularities to severe ones.

“Many property owners embark on the process of construction without adhering to standards set out in the civic regulations. In many cases, they do not even attempt to obtain necessary consents,” the official said.

He said the Clearing Committee of the municipality, in its investigations, found land and building law violations property owners.

While those owners who furnished proper documents were given the ownership rights, other cases were referred to the Public Prosecution.

The demolished structures include abandoned buildings and fences made from permanent and non-permanent materials.

According to Article 129 of the civic law, owners of abandoned buildings should either get the ruins removed or protect them according to the municipality’s specifications.

At the same time, Article 132 stipulates that the municipality reserves the right to demolish a building if the owner or his representative fails to renovate or maintain his property as required by the municipality law. by many

“The failure of compliance can invite a fine starting with RO 100 and not exceeding RO 500.”

Commenting on illegal buildings in the city, a municipal councillor said that structures raised without permission are always a threat to public health and a bane to urban look.

“These violations not only endanger the lives of the people around, but also affect the aesthetic beauty of the city,” he said.

The authorities are also planning to crack down on structures that are built randomly inside houses and on farms and rented out to expat workers.

“Structures, for which a permit has been issued, are only intended to serve the needs of the occupant and cannot be rented out to expat workers,” the official added.