Garage owners face legal action

By TARIQ KHONJI
GARAGE owners in a congested area of Manama have four months to either shut up shop or change their line of business before they face legal action.
The Capital Municipal Council issued a warning to garages in block 318, Hoora, over two years following a petition by residents, who claimed they were causing traffic jams and polluting the neighbourhood.
They were given a six-month grace period two months ago, but Capital Municipal Councillor Abdulaziz Al Khaja said that none appeared to have taken any serious steps towards changing their line of business so far.
He added that the owners' names had been submitted to the Public Prosecution "a long time ago" and that legal procedures would go ahead if the council doesn't see signs of improvement.
"They need to either get out or change their businesses to something that is not service-oriented because these tend to take up a lot of road space and also cause pollution," he said.
A few of the garage owners have made half-hearted attempts to change, such as turning garages into shops selling and changing tyres, said Mr Al Khaja.
However, he added this was not sufficient to avoid legal action.
"We don't believe that this is enough," he said.
"It has been over two years since we first approached them and if we don't see signs of change, we will continue through the legal channels."
When the council issued the grace period it also promised to help pay for the reorganisation of the shops, but so far has received no takers.
"We don't want to hurt anyone's business, so we have offered to help them," said Mr Al Khaja.
"Instead of servicing cars, they can change their floor space into retail shops or anything else that is not polluting."