Municipal Technical Committee approves temporary use of road verges and government lands as parking spaces

- Allocation of a 1,900-meter-long, 10-meter-wide sanitary sewer route in South Sabah Al-Ahmad City.

- Re-allocation of a 2.5 million square meter site to support the onshore treatment facilities and infrastructure of the Dera Field project.

Engineer Munira Jasim Al-Amir, Chair of the Technical Committee of the Municipal Council, confirmed that the committee resumed its work following the council’s return from its recess. The committee reviewed several files and cases of technical and regulatory importance. Al-Amir noted that the committee addressed the presented issues in accordance with the studies and technical responses from the relevant authorities, aiming to serve the public interest and preserve the integrity of urban planning, services, and infrastructure in Kuwait.

Al-Amir explained that the committee discussed ten major cases during its meeting. These included files related to infrastructure, sanitary sewer systems, the re-allocation of sites for the Kuwait Public Transport Company, and the expansion of the Salmi border crossing. Additionally, the committee addressed a strategic file concerning the support of onshore treatment facilities and infrastructure for the Dera offshore field project. Other matters included a request to add floors to a parking structure in the Sharq area, a request to reorganize a plot in the Hawally area, a request to utilize vacant land allocated to government entities as temporary parking lots, and a request to organize and utilize sites within the road right-of-way as parking areas.

Regarding the Ministry of Public Works’ request to allocate a sanitary sewer route to connect a sewage pumping station with the end of an existing route within the South Sabah Al-Ahmad residential city (N11), Al-Amir clarified that the committee approved the request for a route approximately 1,900 meters long and 10 meters wide.

She stated that the approval was subject to several conditions, including compliance with the requirements outlined in the responses from the Sub-Committee for Public Utilities and Services and coordination with them prior to implementation. Additionally, a comprehensive study assessing the project’s environmental and social impact, approved by the Environment Public Authority, must be submitted.

Al-Amir also noted that the committee approved the Ministry of Finance’s request to re-allocate the Kuwait Public Transport Company’s sites at the Shweikh garage and Mina Abdullah from the Industry Public Authority to the Ministry of Finance, in accordance with the relevant Cabinet decision.

According to the case file, the sites include the Mina Abdullah garage, covering 200,000 square meters, and the Shweikh garage, covering 67,279.5 square meters. The relevant administrative departments are authorized to make necessary regulatory adjustments to the dimensions and areas of the sites, provided they do not exceed the approved areas, in cases of conflict with infrastructure services or for regulatory reasons. Any previous decisions contradicting this are hereby annulled.

In another matter, Al-Amir revealed that the Technical Committee approved the General Customs Authority’s request to expand the Salmi border crossing site by an additional area of approximately one million square meters.

She explained that the total area of the site after expansion will be approximately 2,339,132 square meters. The expanded area is intended for dry and wet storage zones, covered and open storage areas, and additional services for the border crossing, in line with the site’s government use.

Olefins Project

Al-Amir added that the committee also examined a request to cancel the allocation of the site for the Third Olefins and Second Aromatics projects (D2) and re-allocate it to Kuwait Gulf Oil Company to support expansion operations for the Dera offshore field project (OPF) in the Zour area.

She clarified that the site covers 2.5 million square meters and that the approval for re-allocation was granted after receiving consents from the relevant authorities, including the Kuwait Petroleum Industry Company, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, and the Ministry of Oil. She highlighted the importance of the Dera field development project and its vital impact and returns for the country, as noted in the case file.

Al-Amir confirmed that the approval included compliance with the requirements of the Sub-Committee for Public Utilities and Services and coordination with them prior to implementation. The relevant administrative departments are authorized to make necessary adjustments to the dimensions and area of the site, provided they do not exceed the approved area, in cases of conflict with infrastructure services or for regulatory reasons.

Parking Lots

In line with the committee’s approach to supporting practical solutions to the shortage of parking spaces and reducing traffic congestion, Engineer Munira Al-Amir explained that the Technical Committee approved an amendment to a previous Municipal Council decision. This amendment allows for the temporary use of sites within the road right-of-way boundaries for surface parking lots, in accordance with Article 1, Paragraph (b) of Cabinet Decision No. 868.

She noted that this approach aims to provide short- and medium-term solutions for areas experiencing high traffic density and parking shortages. She emphasized that these parking lots are temporary and can be removed whenever necessary for the implementation or expansion of road projects, or upon request by the Ministry of Public Works, the Kuwait Municipality, or any of the service ministries.

Al-Amir confirmed that the committee established a set of regulations to ensure that these parking lots do not affect the efficiency of the road network or traffic safety. Key regulations include identifying each site through coordination among the Kuwait Municipality, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Public Works, and obtaining approvals from the relevant service ministries before finalizing any site. Additionally, the proposed parking lots must not conflict with existing or future services and infrastructure.

She added that temporary parking lots must be connected to the internal road networks of the areas, without creating direct entrances or exits from main or high-speed roads. Safety requirements and safe distances at intersections and road entrances/exits must be observed, and coordination with the Ministry of Finance is required regarding the sites and related procedures.

In the same context, the Chair of the Technical Committee confirmed that the committee approved the temporary use of vacant land allocated to government entities as surface parking lots, until the commencement of projects designated for those sites, in accordance with Article 1, Paragraph (a) of Cabinet Decision No. 868.

Engineer Munira Al-Amir affirmed that the Technical Committee views these temporary solutions as flexible measures to address current needs without compromising the future planning of the sites. She noted that the success of these solutions depends on prior coordination among government entities and full compliance with the technical, traffic, and service requirements for each site individually.

Concluding her statement, she said that the outcomes of the meeting reflect the diversity of files handled by the Municipal Council, ranging from infrastructure and service projects to border crossings and strategic projects, as well as real estate and regulatory requests. She emphasized that the primary criterion in examining any case is its alignment with technical and regulatory requirements and its contribution to the public interest.