Street repairs and annoyance to some contractors at the Ministry of Public Works

We were optimistic when the Ministry of Public Works began maintenance works on streets to address the problem of destroyed roads and flying gravel that had damaged and severely harmed vehicles, noting the long time—several years—required to pave streets in residential areas. The issue we currently face with some contractors of the Ministry of Public Works is that they carry out street paving contracts during evening hours. They remove the lower layer beneath the asphalt down to the sandy layer, treat cracks, spray a bitumen layer to stabilize the asphalt, and then compact and pave the street using heavy equipment that shakes houses and produces very high noise levels. Why do the contracting companies implementing street maintenance in residential areas work during evening hours, from 9:00 PM until midnight or 1:00 AM? Why don’t these companies work during early morning hours, starting at 5:00 AM until 11:00 AM? There are patients and elderly people who need quiet and rest in the evening, and these operations are loud and disturbing. To avoid conflicts between homeowners and contractors, it is preferable for the Ministry of Public Works to instruct the contracting companies to carry out street maintenance works during morning hours rather than evening hours. Does the Minister know that street maintenance and paving contracts are being executed during evening hours? Achievement requires follow-up and capable management that places the right person in the right position, so that contract works are carried out at the scheduled time, by adhering to available and suitable hours for implementing street maintenance and paving contracts. It is acceptable to carry out maintenance works on main roads during evening hours, but it is unacceptable to execute street maintenance and paving contracts in residential areas during evening hours at 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM, due to the significant damage and disturbing noise for the elderly and patients, and for those who work in the morning and need to sleep and rest at night without disturbance from street maintenance contractors. We stand hand in hand with the government and the Ministry of Public Works for development and to implement street maintenance works, but this must be done during appropriate times for families and households, not during times preferred by contractors. I hope the Ministry of Public Works will fully supervise all street maintenance contract works and ensure that street maintenance and paving contracts are executed only during morning hours, considering patients, the elderly, students, and employees who need quiet at night. Fawaz Ahmed Al-Hamd