Sharjah upgrading roads, parks, beaches
New urban-planning focus improves quality of life for growing population, official says
Araft of new roads, public transport projects, green parks and outdoor spaces are taking shape in Sharjah to keep pace with a growing population, a top urban planning official said on Monday.
Shaikh Khalid Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, chairman of the Sharjah Urban Planning Council (SUPC) - newly reformed in 2014 - said new public projects are enhancing quality of life for the population which increased to 1.4 million in 2015.
The planning council’s “mandate is to enhance development and improve essential services that people need such as roads, transportation, green spaces and social activity spaces,” said Al Qasimi in a statement on Monday.
He said the planning council is helping guide a series of ongoing initiatives in the emirate to help smooth transportation flows and reduce greenhouse gases through electric vehicle use while making the city friendly to pedestrians and the elderly.
The council collaborated with the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa) on a project that saw the launch of electric car charging stations distributed across Sharjah, in a bid to support electric car owners.
Al Qasimi said the council ■ ■ also worked with the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority to build and approve “designs of five pedestrian bridges at King Faisal Street, King Abdul Aziz, Al Ittihad and Al Taawun.”
New air-conditioned bus stops now under construction “will be supplied with solar energy through solar panels” for energy conservation.
The new three-kilometre University City Road project “has improved the public realm with natural landscapes, service amenities and facilities, public parking and dedicated parking areas for all age groups, as well as safe pedestrian walkways”.
In addition, Al Qasimi said the new Sharjah Beach development project will give residents “bike lanes, picnic places, seating areas, shading structures, public art areas, and water features along the entire route. The project also provides all required service amenities such as restrooms, shower facilities, prayer areas, bicycle parking system with about 1,100 vehicle parking spaces.”