Fury over parking chaos...

By RASHA Al QAHTANI
MANAMA
RESIDENTS on Exhibition Avenue, in Manama, are complaining of serious parking problems in the area due to spaces being illegally blocked off by businesses.
Capital Municipal Councillor Abdulaziz Ahmed Mohammed Al Khaja said the problem had been plaguing the area for years.
"I took the plight of the residents and I discussed it with the municipal council two years ago - we agreed that this is a violation and it is illegal," he said.
"We even spoke to the Traffic General Directorate to co-operate with us and fine those violating the rules, but nothing has changed."
Mr Al Khaja said the general directorate was not co-operating with the council and had done nothing about the violations.
"We have done our part but we can't implement it alone, it is the job of the traffic authorities to see that nobody violates these rules," he said.
"I will try to do my best and bring this subject up in the next municipal council meeting and see if we can meet with traffic representatives to stress the problem."
He said one of the restaurants causing a problem was Hard Rock Café, which blocked parking spaces to offer valet parking to its customers.
The restaurant's owner Khalid Al Ahmed, who also owns the building, said he only reserves three parking spaces for valet parking and security reasons.
"We receive people from the (US) navy base and we park their cars in front of the restaurant for security reasons," he said.
"We are doing this because the area is facing a lot of crime and people's cars are being raided or stolen, not forgetting people walking in the street who are being mugged."
Mr Al Ahmed said he pays a BD1,800 ground rate to the municipality and feels that he has a right to block off parking spaces in front of his building.
"The barricades blocking the parking spaces are not fixed into the ground and we remove them at midnight when we are closing so anyone can park there after midnight," he said.
"At least I have valid reasons to block car spaces in front of my building, but how about the other people who do the same and don't own the building."