Disabled can open shops in residential areas

Handicapped people can open shops in residential areas, thanks to the Manama Municipal Council.
Councillors yesterday unanimously agreed that physically-challenged people in the Capital Governorate should be allowed to set up shops in villages and residential areas.
Council secretary Jassim Redha said: “We want to enable the handicapped to become self-dependent. For this reason, we will issue permits even in the areas which are not near the commercial zones.
“The council also granted permission to the Ras Ruman Charity Fund to extend its premises to a two- to three-storey building,” he said.
The council also decided to allow Al Haya Hospital in Gudaibiya to open the premises only after it allocates parking spaces for visitors. The meeting discussed changing of the zoning of Al Burhama road and areas between road no 5323 and road no 3513.
Councillor, Shamlan Al Shamlan said the council had received a suggestion from the Planning Directorate at the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture to rezone the Capital.
The directorate also decided to change the building classification on the Abdulaziz Saad Shamlan road block 337 in Umm Al Hassam.
He said the council discussed freezing the building permit issued to an investor in the Capital who has been allowed a 10-storey building during the interim period which had expired. During the interim period, there was the decree No. 51 issued by the Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, Ali Saleh Al Saleh, stating that all areas with building areas classified as B5 could be given a equivalent of maximum 10-storeys in the investment areas.
“Due to the decree the investor was given a normal permit of a 10-storey building. But the interim period is over. The classification of the areas is B6 (six-storey building).
“His building will the only 10-storey structure in the area and so the council will consider freezing the permit,” Redha said.
He said the building permits would be frozen for a month until the council consulted its legal advisor on the matter.