Dubai plan to deter bachelors from staying in family areas
dubai — An initiative has been launched to prevent workers from staying in accommodations in residential areas meant only for families. The plan was announced by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) during a meeting held at the Dubai Officers Club on Monday.
The scheme — National Standards for Urban Distribution Initiative —is aimed at enhancing the sense of security among city’s residents.
During his speech, Major General Dr Abdul Quddous Abdul Razzaq Al Obaidly, head of the MoI’s executive team in-charge of following up on the National Agenda indicators, said the initiative will target workers’ and lowincome bachelors’ accommodation
areas and families’ shared housing. This would help decrease crimes and engage local and federal partners to check the growing trend among workers to seek accommodation in residential areas, dedicated to families, he pointed out.
Al Obaidly added that under the initiative, relevant entities will work with strategic partners to establish the necessary infrastructure and enact legislations to demarcate workers’ accommodation areas while bringing about security in society.
The standards include health and environmental prerequisites; and special authorisations and regulations to enhance monitoring and inspection by relevant parties.
“The set standards pertain to the number of residents, ways to provide and sustain services, issuance of permits for such residential areas and allocating specific buildings for specific categories. They require the full provision of services and public safety conditions, multi-language speaking coordinators, protection and liaison
The initiative is in response to decisions taken in government meetings which call for unifying urban planning standards to increase the feeling of safety.” Dr Abdul Quddous Al Obaidly Ministry of Interior
officers, medical facilities, first-aid rooms, leisure and sports facilities,” said Al Obaidly.
He said the committee formed to implement the initiative includes partners from the Federal Demographic Structure Council (FDSC), urban planning councils, land and property departments, Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Ministry of Infrastructure Development and representatives of the municipalities across the country, alongside the MoI. “The initiative is in response to decisions taken in government meetings which call for unifying urban planning standards on the country-wide level to increase the feeling of safety of people.”
He said: “The initiative also aims to provide a healthy environment for workers that safeguards their rights and maintains their dignity. It envisages to offer a decent urban life to this category, whose efforts are highly appreciated in the development process taking place in our country.”
Al Obaidly said the initiative was launched after analysing the results of a survey on sense of security among families in residential areas where bachelors stayed too. He said the initiative falls in line with the ongoing unrelenting efforts to maintain the UAE’s prestigious leading rank on the global competitiveness index in the fields of security and safety.
Hafiz Gahloom, director of health monitor department at the Dubai Municipality, said living in shared accommodation is allowed in commercial areas and many were living like this due to high rents. He added the number of occupants in shared accommodations should also be limited.