Approval for the expansion of the Salwa border crossing and reallocation of a site to support 'Al-Durrah Field'

The Technical Committee of the Municipal Council resumed its work following the end of the summer vacation, approving a request by the General Administration of Customs to expand the Salwa border crossing and to reassign a site to support the Darain Field project.

Eng. Munira Al-Amir stated that the meeting discussed several files and transactions of technical and organizational importance. She noted that the committee addressed the presented topics in accordance with studies and technical responses from competent authorities, aiming to serve the public interest and preserve the integrity of urban planning, services, and infrastructure in the State of Kuwait.

The committee discussed ten main transactions, including files related to infrastructure, sewage, and the reassignment of sites for the Kuwait Public Transport Company. Other items included the expansion of the Salwa border crossing, a strategic file supporting land-based facilities and structures for the Darain Field offshore project, a request to add floors to the multi-story parking building in the East area, a request to reorganize a plot in Hawalli, a request to utilize vacant lands designated for government entities as temporary parking lots, and a request to organize and utilize sites within road rights-of-way as parking areas.

Regarding the Ministry of Public Works’ request to designate a sewage path to connect a sewage pumping station with the end of an existing path within the South Sabah Al-Ahmed residential city (N11), Al-Amir clarified that the committee approved the request for a path approximately 1,900 meters long and 10 meters wide. She explained that the approval came with several conditions, including compliance with the stipulations in the responses of the Sub-Committee for Utilities and Public Services and coordination with them prior to implementation. Additionally, a comprehensive study evaluating the project’s environmental and social impact, endorsed by the Public Authority for Environment, must be submitted. The committee also conditioned the approval on fixing the site’s location, given the existence of the Green Belt project for which the Municipal Council issued a decision. Competent administrations were authorized to make any necessary shifts or adjustments to the path’s lengths and coordinates, provided they do not exceed the designated length in case of conflict with existing infrastructure services or for organizational reasons.

Eng. Al-Amir noted that the committee approved the Ministry of Finance’s request to reassign sites of the Kuwait Public Transport Company from the General Authority of Industry to the Ministry of Finance, in implementation of the relevant Cabinet of Ministers’ decision. The sites include the Abdullah Port depot, covering 200,000 square meters, and the Shuwaikh depot, covering 67,279.5 square meters. Competent administrations were authorized to make necessary organizational adjustments to the dimensions and areas of these sites, provided they do not exceed the designated areas in case of conflict with infrastructure services or for organizational reasons, and to cancel any previous decisions contradicting this.

In another file, the committee approved the General Administration of Customs’ request to expand the Salwa border crossing site by an additional area of approximately one million square meters. Al-Amir clarified that the total area of the site after expansion will reach approximately 2,339,132 square meters. The expansion will be utilized for dry and wet storage areas, shaded and open storage areas, and additional services for the crossing, consistent with the site’s government use. The approval required the submission of a comprehensive environmental and social impact assessment study prior to implementation, compliance with the stipulations of the Sub-Committee for Utilities and Public Services, and coordination with them before implementation. Competent administrations were also authorized to make necessary organizational adjustments without exceeding the designated areas.

Eng. Al-Amir added that the committee discussed a request to cancel the designation of the site for the Third Olefins and Second Aromatics (D2) project and reassign it to the Kuwait Gulf Oil Company to support expansion operations for the land-based facilities and structures of the Darain Field offshore project (OPF) in the Zour area. The site covers 2.5 million square meters. The approval for reassignment came after receiving approvals from relevant authorities, including Petrochemical Industries Company, Kuwait Oil Company, and the Ministry of Oil. Al-Amir highlighted the importance of the Darain Field development project and its vital impact and returns for the country. The approval included compliance with the stipulations of the Sub-Committee for Utilities and Public Services and coordination with them before implementation. Competent administrations were authorized to make necessary adjustments to the site’s dimensions and area, provided they do not exceed the designated area in case of conflicts with infrastructure services or for organizational reasons.

The committee rejected a request by a real estate company to add two floors to the multi-story parking building in the East area, Plot 8. Technical studies indicated that adding the two floors would raise the building to two basements, a ground floor, nine repeated floors, and roof-covered parking, which violates the current standards and specifications of the Kuwait Municipality for multi-story parking buildings. The committee’s stance was based on technical studies and current specifications, ensuring compliance with approved organizational stipulations.

A request to reorganize a plot within Plot 87 in the Hawalli area was also rejected. The study indicated that the plot in question is state-owned and located in an area designated for residential investment use. Al-Amir pointed out that this case falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, State Property Administration, as the competent authority for evaluating lands and offering them for public auction according to the law mentioned in the transaction. Consequently, the technical opinion concluded with non-approval of the request.

Eng. Al-Amir emphasized that the Technical Committee continues to fulfill its role by carefully studying referred topics and relying on technical studies and responses from competent administrations and authorities, balancing the support of priority projects and services with adherence to organizational and environmental stipulations and the protection of existing infrastructure.

In line with the committee’s direction toward supporting practical solutions for the shortage of parking spaces and reducing traffic congestion, Al-Amir explained that the committee approved modifying a previous Municipal Council decision to allow the utilization of sites within road right-of-way boundaries for temporary surface parking. This is in implementation of Clause One (Paragraph B) of the Cabinet of Ministers’ decision. This direction aims to provide short- and medium-term solutions for areas experiencing high traffic density and parking shortages. Al-Amir stressed that these parking areas are temporary and removable whenever necessary for road projects, expansions, or upon request by the Ministry of Public Works, Kuwait Municipality, or any service ministries.

Al-Amir confirmed that the committee established a set of controls to ensure these parking areas do not affect road network efficiency or traffic safety. Key controls include determining each site in coordination with the Kuwait Municipality, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Public Works; obtaining approvals from relevant service ministries before fixing any site; and ensuring proposed parking does not conflict with existing or future services and infrastructure. Temporary parking must connect to the internal road network of areas without creating new direct entrances or exits from main or express roads, while respecting safety requirements and safe distances at intersections and road entrances/exits. Coordination with the Ministry of Finance is also required regarding sites and related procedures.

Al-Amir confirmed that the committee approved utilizing vacant lands designated for government entities as temporary surface parking until the start of implementation of projects designated for those sites, in implementation of Clause One (Paragraph A) of the Cabinet of Ministers’ decision. This direction represents a practical solution to utilize unused government lands during the transitional period preceding the implementation of designated projects, contributing to providing additional parking spaces and utilizing available lands without affecting government entities’ plans or future designated projects.

Al-Amir stressed that utilizing any site will be linked to the implementation phase of the project designated for it. Coordination with the Kuwait Municipality, Ministry of Public Works, and Ministry of Interior is required to determine the feasibility of utilizing each site and its specific stipulations. Additionally, approval from the government entity owning the designation is necessary to ensure that temporary utilization does not conflict with the project’s implementation program. Newly established parking areas will be removed immediately upon request by the government entity to which the site was designated. The entity that implemented the parking will be responsible for their removal, with necessary coordination with the Ministry of Finance regarding related procedures.

Eng. Al-Amir concluded that the committee views these temporary solutions as flexible measures to address current needs without compromising future site planning. She noted that the success of these solutions depends on prior coordination between government entities and full adherence to technical, traffic, and service stipulations for each site individually.

She ended by stating that the meeting’s outcomes reflect the diversity of files handled by the Municipal Council, ranging from infrastructure and service projects to border crossings and strategic projects, and finally real estate and organizational requests. She affirmed that the primary criterion in studying any transaction is its compatibility with technical and organizational requirements and its achievement of the public interest.