Revamp on way for Manama Cemetery

By MOHAMMED AL A'ALI
FACILITIES at Bahrain's biggest cemetery are to be developed, to make it better for people visiting relatives' graves.
Parking is to be expanded and walkways shaded at the Manama Cemetery, behind the American Mission Hospital.
The Manama Municipal Council has submitted a request to the Jaffari (Waqf) Endowment to allocate finances for the development.
"The place where tombstones used to be built will be removed, because tombstones are being bought ready from elsewhere," said area councillor Majeed Millad Al Jazeeri.
"Residents have suggested the building, near the southeastern gate, be removed, to create parking for 50 cars.
"A wall near the eastern gate will also be removed, which will provide an extra 10 parking lots."
Hundreds of people a day visit the cemetery, which has thousands of graves, said Mr Al Jazeeri.
"People are either being forced to park in the nearby American Mission Hospital, whose parks are full throughout the day, or elsewhere," he said. "Many are forced to park on the pavement or far away just to visit their relatives' graves, which bothers many of them, considering Bahrain is a humid country."
Mr Al Jazeeri, who is also the council's financial, administrative and legislative committee chairman, said the graveyard had four shades on its pathways. "The shades are small considering the graveyard's size," he said.
"We have proposed the three pathways be shaded to ensure that people are protected from the sun and rain.
"I have been receiving many complaints from people over the shades, who say these are useless.
"They say these have no use considering that they just cover a distance of four metres.
Mr Al Jazeeri said he didn't know how much the development would cost. "The directorate should calculate that and inform the council about the date they will have to begin work," he said.